Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Road Vehicles (eBook)

Pasquale Corbo graduated in Chemistry at the University “Federico II” of Naples, where he received his PhD in Chemical Sciences in 1987. He is currently Research Manager at the Istituto Motori of the Italian National Research Council in Naples. He has been responsible for research projects financed by private companies (Fiat Research Center, STMicroelectronics, Magneti Marelli, Eldor Corporation) and Italian public institutions (ENEA, Ministry of Education, University and Research, Ministry of Economic Development, Tuscany and Campania Regions) in the fields of heterogeneous catalysis, hydrogen and fuel cells for automotive applications. He has published about 150 papers in international scientific journals and in proceedings of international conferences and one Italian patent. Fortunato Migliardini is currently Researcher at the Istituto Motori of the Italian National Research Council in Naples. He graduated in Chemical Engineering at the University “Federico II” of Naples, where he received his PhD in Thermo-mechanical System Engineering in 1998. His experience is mainly focused on hydrogen catalytic production, hydrogen storage methods, hydrogen fuel cell systems and related integrated plants for automotive and residential applications. He has published over 50 papers in international scientific journal sand in proceedings of international conferences. Ottorino Veneri graduated in Electrical Engineering from the University “Federico II” of Naples, where he received his PhD in Electrical Engineering in 2000. He currently works as Researcher for the Istituto Motori of the Italian National Research Council in Naples. His main fields of interest are the electric drives for transportation systems, electric energy converters, electric energy storage systems and power sources with hydrogen fuel cells. He has published about 50 papers in international scientific journals and in proceedings of international conferences.

Preface 5
Contents 7
Possible Routes Towards Carbon-Free Vehicles 10
1.1 Mobility Demands and Primary Energy Resources 12
1.2 Internal Combustion Engines and Their Impact on Air Quality 20
1.3 Climate Change and Carbon-Free Fuel Chance 28
References 39
Hydrogen as Future Energy Carrier 42
2.1 Hydrogen Production 43
2.1.1 Thermal Processes 45
2.1.2 Electrolytic Processes 57
2.1.3 Photolytic Processes 62
2.2 Hydrogen Distribution 62
2.3 Hydrogen Storage 65
2.3.1 Hydrogen Storage in High Compressed Gas Form 67
2.3.2 Hydrogen Storage in Liquid Cryogenic Form 68
2.3.3 Hydrogen Storage in Solid Materials 70
References 73
Fuel Cells for Automotive Applications 80
3.1 Basic Concepts of Electrochemistry 81
3.2 Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells 85
3.2.1 The MEA: Membrane 88
3.2.2 The MEA: Electrocatalysts 92
3.2.3 The MEA: GDL 93
3.2.4 The Bipolar Plates 95
3.3 Sensitivity of PEM Stacks to Operating Conditions 97
3.3.1 The Polarization Curve 97
3.3.2 Effect of Operative Parameters on the Polarization Curve 103
3.4 Durability of PEM Fuel Cells 106
References 108
Design of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems for Road Vehicles 112
4.1 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems: Preliminary Remarks 113
4.2 Hydrogen Feeding System 115
4.3 Air Feeding Systems 117
4.4 Thermal Management System 123
4.5 Water/Humidification Management System 125
4.6 Integrated Fuel Cell System: Efficiency, Dynamics, Costs 130
4.6.1 FCS Efficiency 132
4.6.2 FCS Dynamics 134
4.6.3 FCS Costs 136
References 137
Electric Vehicles in Hybrid Configuration 140
5.1 Electric Vehicles: Preliminary Remarks 140
5.2 Electric Drives for Road Vehicles 142
5.2.1 DC Electric Machines 143
5.2.2 AC Electric Machines 145
5.2.3 Control and Power Electronics 147
5.3 Storage Electrochemical Batteries 149
5.3.1 Main Operative Parameters of Batteries 150
5.3.2 Main Characteristics of Different Types of Batteries 155
5.4 Alternative Energy Storage Systems 163
5.4.1 Flywheels 163
5.4.2 Super Capacitors 164
5.5 Hybrid Propulsion Systems 166
5.5.1 Hybrid Thermal Electric Vehicles 166
5.5.2 Solar Vehicles 169
5.5.3 Vehicles Using Flywheels and Super Capacitors 170
5.5.4 Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles 171
References 174
Case Study A: Fuel Cell Power Train for Mopeds 176
6.1 Description of the 3.5 kW Fuel Cell Power Train 176
6.2 Efficiency Calculations 180
6.3 FCS Characterization: Energy Losses in Steady-State Conditions 183
6.4 Dynamic Performance of the FCS 185
6.5 Characterization of the Overall Power Train on Driving Cycles 194
6.5.1 Analysis of the FCS Dynamic Behavior on Driving Cycles 194
6.5.2 Analysis of the Overall Propulsion System on Driving Cycles 198
References 207
Case Study B: Fuel Cell Power Train for Cars 208
7.1 Description of the 30 kW Fuel Cell Power Train 208
7.2 FCS Characterization: Effect of Operative Parameters 212
7.3 Analysis of the Dynamic Behavior of the FCS 219
7.3.1 Performance of the FCS During Load Variations 220
7.3.2 Behavior of the FCS During Warm-up 228
7.4 Effect of Different Air Management Strategies 232
7.5 Fuel Cell Power Train Tested on the R40 Driving Cycle 245
References 249
Index 250