Council for Mineral Technology

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Council for Mineral Technology
Hydrogen fuel cell technologies Gary Pattrick

NSTF Workshop on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell
Technology, CSIR Convention Centre, Pretoria, 27
August 2008
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Outline

• Part 1 Fuel Cells
• History
• Basic configuration
• Types
• Performance
• Part 2 The hydrogen economy
• Part 3 The SA programme

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History the beginning
Invention widely attributed to Sir William Robert
Grove 1842-45 However the fuel cell effect was
simultaneously discovered by Christian Friedrich
Schoenbein (Swiss) - January 1839 and Grove
February 1839 (both in the Philosophical
Magazine) Both gave an explanation for the
electrical current generated in experiments
arising from the combination of hydrogen and
oxygen to give water.
Grove went on to develop the gaseous voltaic
battery as an electricity generator
and recognised the principle limitation
William Robert Grove 11 July 1811 1 August 1896
where the liquid, gas, and platina met, the
chief difficulty was anything like a notable
surface of action. Today known as the triple
phase boundary.
Grove, Philosophical Magazine and Journal of
Science, 1843
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History some milestones
Apollo space programme (Pratt Whitney)
Space shuttle programme (UTC)
Francis Bacon begins AFC work, 32
6 kW systems
UTC, Toshiba and others commercialise PAFC
Development of PAFC begins, 60s
Direct methanol/air acid or alkaline electrolyte
FC, Siemens, Shell, Exxon, Bosch and others, 60s
Direct methanol/air PEM FC
Development of MCFC SOFC begins
Kordesch (Union Carbide) builds a AFC powered
car, 70
Grubb invents PEM FC, 57
GE develops PEM FC for Gemini space programme
Automotive OEMs begin serious PEM FC development
Grove develops the gaseous voltaic battery,
1842-45
Du Pont develops Nafion, 70s
1840s
1930
1960
1990
1980
1970
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Basic fuel cell configuration

-
anode
cathode
H2
Air or O2
Electrolyte (liq. or solid)
Unused H2 water
Unused Air or O2 water
Porous catalysed electrodes
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Types of fuel cell
anode
cathode

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H2 2OH- ? 2H2O 2e-
1/2O2 H2O 2e- ? 2OH-
Aqueous solution of KOH
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Types of fuel cell
anode
cathode

-
H2 ? 2H 2e-
1/2O2 2H 2e- ? H2O
Aqueous solution (85-100) of H3PO4 supported by
PTFE-SiC
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Types of fuel cell
anode
cathode

-
H2 ? 2H 2e-
1/2O2 2H 2e- ? H2O
Polymer proton exchange resin Mostly Nafion
sulfonated teflon Must be hydrated 9
Types of fuel cell
anode
cathode

-
CH3OH H2O ? CO2 6H 6e-
3/2O2 6H 6e- ? 3H2O
PEM
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Types of fuel cell
anode
cathode

-
H2 CO32- ? CO2 H2O 2e-
1/2O2 CO2 2e- ? CO32-
Molten Li2CO3 and Na2CO3 supported by LiAlO2
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Types of fuel cell
anode
cathode

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H2 O2- ? H2O 2e-
1/2O2 2e- ? O2-
Yettria stabilized ZrO2
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Fuel cell efficiency
Common misconception Fuel cells are more
efficient because they are not limited by Carnot
cycle for heat engines.

FC are better because they are efficient
electrochemical devices that operate at more
reasonable temperatures.
Efficiencies are equivalent at thermodynamic
max Equals 83 for H2/O2
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Current RD focus

• Most (commercial) development now focused on
• PEM
• System of choice for automobile
• High power density
• Fast start
• Direct methanol capable
• SOFC
• High power and efficiency
• Stationary power generation
• High temp slow start
• Multi-fuel capable

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PEMFC MEAs and stacks
Membrane electrode assemble (MEA) details

• Main advancements that bring us up to
• Today
• Nafion Du Pont 1970s (significant increase in
  membrane conductivity and durability)
• Pt/C Los Alamos Labs 1989 (significant increase
  in Pt dispersion vs Pt-black used previously Pt
  reduced from 4 mg/cm2 to 0.4 mg/cm2)
• Soluble Nafion Los Alamos 1989 (electrolyte
  impregnation in catalyst layer massively
  increases triple phase boundary and increases Pt
  utilisation, power, etc.)
• Catalyst coated membrane Gore (ultra thin
  catalyst layer
• Nanostructured thin film catalyst 3M 2007
  (increased surface area Pt utilisation Pt
  0.25 mg/cm2)

3Ms NSTF
Fuel cell Handbook, 7th Edition, (2004), DOE-NETL
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PEMFC polarisation curves
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PEMFC RD issues
Pt loading Cathode catalyst Pt dissolution Pt
agglomeration Freeze/thaw Carbon
corrosion Durability CO tolerance Methanol
oxidation catalyst Methanol cross-over
High temperature membrane Cheaper
membrane Hydrogen purity Water management Thermal
management BOP Cost
Automotive current status Advanced 3M lab
devices ? 0.27 g Pt/kW cell 0.47 stack 7000
hours OEM FC vehicles ? 0.5 0.8 g Pt/kW
? DOE automotive target 0.2 g Pt/kW 5000
hours
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The hydrogen economy
The hydrogen economy will exist when there is a
3rd large scale energy vector that uses hydrogen
as an energy carrier
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Hydrogen economy - issues

• Wheres all the H2 going to come from?
• Whats the cost of a hydrogen infrastructure?
• Hydrogen economy vs electron economy.
• Centralised vs distributed H2 production how.
• Hydrogen production at point of use.
• Distributed power generation.
• Combined heat, cooling and power generation.
• CO2 free H2 production.
• Transport only?
• Well-to-wheels efficiency FC vs hybrids, diesel,
  etc.
• Hydrogen storage.
• Safety

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Hydrogen safety perception
Sure but it was really the fuel and the
airframe that burned so spectacularly
The Hindenburg
Your H2 FC car will never, under any
circumstance, explode like these thermo-nuclear
devices
A hydrogen bomb
Hydrogen safety hydrogen storage
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Hydrogen storage
Appears to be the most difficult technology to
develop
DOE hydrogen programme - FY2007 annual report

• Other targets
• Capacity 300 miles
• -40 to 85oC
• Supply 0.02 g H2/s/kW
• Refuel
• Cost
• Safety

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How serious are automobile OEMs?
Nearly every major OEM has developed vehicles
but can I buy one?
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Honda FCX Clarity July 2008
H2 fill will give 280 miles (450 km)
Jamie Lee Curtis will pay 600/month for a 3 year
lease, along with 200 other chosen people in
Southern California
4.1 kg H2 _at_ 5000 psi (350 bar)
100 kW FC (57 L 67 kg)
100 kW motor 256 Nm (0-3056 rpm)
-30oC start
Li ion battery
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How serious are other national programmes?
International partnership for the hydrogen
economy (IPHE) 16 members EC Forum for
governments, RD managers, researchers policy
makers to work together to advance H2 and FC
technology research, development
deployment. Some 30 collaborative projects are
under way.

• Estimate global national progammes
  1billion/year
• Major
• JTI 2008 17 470m matched by private
• USA 2003 8 1.2b 500m for freedom car
• Japan 2000 8 250b (approx.)

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SA HFCT RDI strategy

• Vision of the strategy
• The vision for the hydrogen and fuel cell
  strategy is the creation of knowledge and human
  resource capacity to develop high value
  commercial activities and technologies in
  utilising local resources for the production and
  use of hydrogen and fuel cells for the benefit of
  all.
• The primary goals of the strategy are
• Wealth creation through high value-add
  manufacturing. Developing the PGM catalysis value
  chain in South Africa to position South Africa to
  supply 25 of catalysts demand for the global
  fuel cell industry
• Building on the existing knowledge in high
  temperature gas cooled nuclear reactors and coal
  gasification Fischer-Tropsch technology, to
  develop local cost competitive hydrogen
  generation solutions and
• To promote equity and inclusion in the economic
  benefits from South Africas resource rent by
  creating new downstream industries from natural
  resources

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The SA programme

• Strategy accepted May 2007 by Cabinet
• Budget projected to be R100m/year for 15 years
• Implemented in the NATIONAL RESEARCH FLAGSHIP
  PROJECT IN HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES
• Technology development hubs
• Hydrogen Catalysis (Mintek/UCT)
• Infrastructure (CSIR/UNW)
• Systems validation (UWC)
• 2010 demonstrations public (TIA)
• outreach
• Launch planned for September 2008

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Catalysis programme overview
Systems
Systems
Infrastruct.
Infrastruct.
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Thank you
www.mintek.co.za
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