| Fuel Cell cars are the cars of the future. A lot of | | | | problems using hydrogen as a fuel? Except at high |
| research has been done with electric cars, but | | | | compression, and/or low temperatures, hydrogen |
| until the battery costs go down, the driving range | | | | is a gas. It is the lightest gas, and would tend to |
| goes up and the weight of the batteries goes | | | | have high leakage through pipelines. Due to its high |
| down, this will not be an option for the general | | | | energy content, it is also very explosive. There |
| public, unlike the popular hybrid cars. A hybrid car | | | | was the explosion of the Hindenburg in 1937 in |
| has a gas engine and an electric engine. The gas | | | | New Jersey. That was a hydrogen lifted dirigible |
| can continually recharge the electric batteries.In a | | | | which went on fire. Due to the use of heavy |
| fuel cell car, the fuel used is compressed or liquid | | | | safety equipment to compress hydrogen, this is |
| hydrogen. A fuel cell converts hydrogen and | | | | why fuel cell technology is first being used in |
| oxygen to water, and produces electricity. Due to | | | | buses.Another option being developed is to use |
| ongoing problems with storing liquid or | | | | hydrocarbons that are hydrogen rich as the basis |
| compressed hydrogen, currently, mostly buses | | | | for hydrogen fuel cell technology. Hydrocarbons |
| are using fuel cell technology. They can hold large | | | | are compounds of hydrogen and carbon. The |
| tanks of compressed hydrogen on their roofs. | | | | leading candidates are CH4, which is methane gas, |
| The type of hydrogen fuel cell currently used for | | | | a pure form of natural gas, and methanol, a liquid |
| buses and cars is the Proton Exchange Membrane | | | | alcohol compound, CH4OH. Both methanol and |
| Fuel Cell (PEMFC).The fuel cell uses a catalyst, | | | | methane can be converted to hydrogen gas using |
| which is a platinum powder or compound, to | | | | a chemical reformer. Reformers have a drawback |
| facilitate the reaction of hydrogen with oxygen. | | | | in that they lower fuel efficiency by as much as |
| The catalyst is spread as a thin coat on a large | | | | half. There is increased miniaturization of chemical |
| surface for maximum effect.Why are there | | | | reformers for automobiles. |