The technical name for a fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device. A fuel cell converts the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the process it produces electricity. Other electrochemical devices that are in use these days and for many decades is the well-known battery. The distinguishing difference between a simple battery and a fuel cell is that all the chemicals are stored inside the battery. The battery in turn converts those chemicals into electricity but in due course it “goes dead” as the chemicals are used up and at times you can either throw it away or recharge it.

Then again with a fuel cell, chemicals continually flow into the cell so as long as there is a flow of chemicals into the cell; the electricity flows out of the fuel cell. Combustion engines the gasoline engine burn fuels and batteries converted chemical energy back into electrical energy when needed. However, fuel cells should do both tasks more efficiently.

Simply put the construction and materials in a fuel cell release electrons from the hydrogen gas creating electricity and the waste product after the electricity is used to power an electrical device is water, formed with the negative hydrogen and the oxygen.This reaction in a single fuel cell produces only about 0.7 volts. To get this voltage up to a reasonable level, several separate fuel cells must be combined to form a fuel-cell stack.

However one major problem with using hydrogen is that it is cannot be stored easily for consumer use. Among the other alternatives, it could be natural gas, propane, and methanol gas. The main objective of using fuel cell technology is pollution reduction. Fuel cell is also very efficient; 80% of the fuel use in these cells is converted into usable energy as compared to only 20% for a gasoline powered engine and about 30% overall for a battery powered electric vehicle.

Evidently there is no question that the fuel cell holds greater promise for the future. However, the fuel cell technology must still gather all the pieces of finding the right ‘fuel’ source that is both easy to store and deliver to the consumer, efficiency of the vehicle using fuel cells, and the cost for the total package.

The Original Post is Located Here: A Basic Overview Of Fuel Cell Technology

Natural Gas Hybrid Vehicle

Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbons, primarily methane (CH4) but also containing ethane and propane and other gases such as nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and water vapor.

Natural gas does have a high octane rating and excellent properties for spark-ignited internal combustion engines and is relatively clean burning. It is non-toxic, non-corrosive, and non-carcinogenic and does not present a threat to soil, surface water, or groundwater.

The majority of natural gas available today is extracted from gas and oil wells, while some smaller amounts are derived from supplemental sources such as synthetic gas, landfill gas and other biogas resources, and coal-derived gas.

Currently, it accounts for approximately one quarter of the energy used in the United States. About one third of this is used for residential and commercial uses, one third for industrial uses, and one third to electric power production. Unfortunately, only about one tenth of one percent is currently used for transportation fuel.

Natural gas can be stored onboard a vehicle in either a compressed gaseous (compressed natural gas, CNG) state or a liquefied (liquefied natural gas, LNG) state.

In order to provide an adequate driving range, CNG must be stored onboard a vehicle in tanks at high pressure-up to 3,600 pounds per square inch. A CNG-powered vehicle will get around the same fuel economy as a conventional gasoline vehicle on a gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) basis.

To provide a greater driving range in a smaller volume, natural gas can be liquefied. To produce LNG, natural gas is purified and condensed into a liquid by cooling to -260°F (-162°C). At atmospheric pressure, LNG takes up only 1/600 of the volume of natural gas in vapor form. Howevr, because LNG must be kept at such cold temperatures, it must be stored in double-wall, vacuum-insulated pressure containers. For this reason, LNG fuel systems are typically only used in heavy-duty vehicles.
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The Original Post is Located Here: Natural Gas

Propane Fuel Pump

Propane, which is generally known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG or LP-gas), or AutoGas in Europe, is a three-carbon alkane gas (C3H8). Propane has one of the highest energy densities of all alternative fuels, so propane vehicles can go farther on a tank of fuel. This is one of the reasons that it is used by many fleets, giving a good driving range and having a widespread fueling infrastructure.

It is also an exceptionally safe fuel: propane tanks are 20 times more puncture resistant than gasoline tanks, and propane has the lowest flammability range of all alternative fuels.

Stored under pressure inside a tank, propane turns into a colorless, odorless liquid. As the liquid propane is released, it vaporizes and turns into gas that can be used for combustion. As Propane is odorless, ethyl mercaptan is added to it to facilitate leak detection.

Propane has a very high octane rating and excellent properties for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. Propane is non-toxic and doesn’t present a threat to soil, surface water, or groundwater.

Propane is produced as a by-product of natural gas processing and crude oil refining and accounts for about 2% of the energy used in the United States. It is has generally been used for home and water heating, cooking and refrigerating food, clothes drying, powering farm and industrial equipment, and drying corn.

Many rural areas that do not have natural gas service commonly rely on propane. The chemical industry uses propane as a raw material for making plastics and other compounds. Unfortunately, less than 2% of U.S. propane consumption is currently used for transportation fuel.
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The Original Post is Located Here: Propane (LPG or AutoGas)