CHAPTER 5.

HYDROGEN ENERGY
2019
Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

▷ Contents

5.1 What is Hydrogen energy?

5.2 Production of hydrogen from natural gas
5.3 Type of fuel cell
5.4 Hydrogen fuel cell generation Education Curriculum

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

5.1 What is Hydrogen energy?

This is utilize the energy occurs while reaction of hydrogen and
oxygen to convert with form of thermal or electricity. Fundamentally,
this process characterized that no generation substances other than
water and get electricity directly.

If use hydrogen as a fuel that able to minimize environmental pollution

concerns since in the combustion no other contaminant except the small
amount of NOx pollution (based on carbon dioxide emissions for unit
energy products, if the emission is 100 for coal then oil and natural gas by
80 to 60, respectively. However, the hydrogen has no carbon dioxide
emissions at all.

The hydrogen energy technologies categorized as hydrogen production,

storage, transport and use. and typical use of hydrogen fuel cell technology
classified into fuel cells for power generation, transportation fuel cells,
household/commercial fuel cell and portable fuel cell.

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

Table 5-1. Characteristics of hydrogen energy

Advantages Remark
▶ This is clean energy, the emissions produced is just ▶ Light and easy to be leaked since the high
water. diffusion velocity
▶It is possible to use abundant water as a raw material ▶ Has a wide range of explosive air / fuel ratio and
so able to eliminate the constraints of sources. minimum concentration density is low
▶ This will not destroy Earth’s material circulation by ▶ Small in ignition energy and easy to spark
generated from water and finally returning to the water Heat per unit mass is high but low in value of per
again. unit volume
▶ It can be stored relatively easy way. ▶ Is it possible to supply necessary amount with
▶ As a fluid energy can instead of oil used in automotive, proper speed and time
aircraft fuel. ▶ Safety and efficiency of transportation of storing
▶ As the fuel source of fuel cells reach high energy ▶ Is it possible to offering high efficiency hydrogen
efficient as. energy conversion
▶ The reversible reaction between hydrogen and metal
or alloy has energy conversion function therefore be
used as a wide range of applications.
▶ Hydrocarbon from hydrogen and carbon raw material
can be used as the chemical industry.

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

Hydrogen production technology

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe but itself does not exist in nature that can be
obtained fossil fuel, water and biomass by heat, light process. The production technologies of
hydrogen energy include steam reforming, partial oxidation, thermal reaction, pyrolysis and plasma
reforming use the source such as natural gas, LPG, coal, naphtha and fossil fuel. Moreover,
Hydrogen production technologies extends to use renewable energy such as wind, solar energy to
provide necessary energy for electrolysis of water, Photoelectric chemical or photo-biologic
hydrogen production methods, discompose the water by thermo chemical or electrolysis using
nuclear energy to produce hydrogen.

Table 5-2. Comparison of hydrogen production cost by hydrogen production

method
Scale Cost
Hydrogen production method Material
(106Nm3/day) ($/kg)
Methane steam reforming Natural gas 0.27~25.4 0.65~1.35
Coal gasification Coal 2.80~6.78 1.18~1.39
Hydrocarbon gasification (partial Atmospheric Residue 2.80 1.18
oxidation) Biomass 0.72~2.26 1.04~1.57
Biomass gasification Biomass 0.024~0.81 1.06~1.53
Biomass pyrolysis Water 0.1~6.75 2.47~3.44
Electrolysis (large scale, general) Water 0.195 5.02
Electrolysis (solar electric) Water 0.247 2.42
Electrolysis (wind power electricity)

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

Table 5-3. Classification of hydrogen production method

Technical
Classification Method Material Energy
development stage
Fossil fuel Steam reforming Natural gas, LPG, Naphtha Heat Commercialized stage
Partial oxidation Crude oil, coal Heat Commercialized stage
Thermal reforming Natural gas, LPG, Naphtha Heat Commercialized stage
Electrolysis water Electricity Commercialized stage
Electrolysis water Electricity Commercialized stage
Non fossil fuel Thermo-chemical water Nuclear power, solar Experimental stage
decomposition energy
Biomass conversion Biomass Heat,, microorganism Experimental stage
Photolysis water Solar PV Fundamental research stage

Key technology Element technology

Power engine related technology -Optimal design and structural analysis of collector
-Concentrating and heat loss analysis of absorber
Intensive reflection technology Reflector manufacturing and coating technology
Industrial process heat technology Optimal design by each process
Solar heat desalination technology Evaporator design and manufacturing technology
Solar tracking and control technology -Solar tracking sensors
-Solar tracking control system and S/W development

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

Steam reforming method

Steam reforming method used in hard hydrocarbon of natural gas and naphtha. This
process can obtain high concentration of reforming gas by react raw materials and steam
under high temperature and catalyst.
This is the one commercialized method to obtain Synthetic gas of hydrogen and CO that
made from reaction between natural gas, naphtha as carbon source with steam under high
temperatures with presence of catalysts.

Desulfurization Reforming
Natural gas process
process

Purification CO
Hydrogen
process Denaturalization
process

Fig. 5-1 Hydrogen production process of steam reforming method

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

Partial oxidation

Generally, the partial oxidation method is without any of the catalyst. It is the way
to obtain reforming through partial oxidation by supplying oxygen to materials at
high temperature. This is not only used in hard hydrocarbon but also same with
other hydrocarbon such as crude oil and coal. However, this is lower in energy
efficiency and higher equipment costs than steam reforming.
Due to the nitrogen among the air is difficult separate from hydrogen so it should
be continually working process after through cryogenic separation process in order
to separate the oxygen before the gasification process.

Oxygen separation process

Gasification process to obtain synthetic gas reacted with

oxygen and raw materials

CO denaturalization process to increase hydrogen concentration

by reacting steam and CO that from synthetic gas

Gasification process Gas purification process

Fig. 5-2 Hydrogen production process of partial oxidation method

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

Thermal reforming

The main reaction of thermal reforming method that endothermic reaction

which is combination of steam reforming and exothermic reaction. Nickel or
precious metal catalyst is used in the reforming of hydrocarbons. Heat is
supplied from inter position by partial oxidation of the fuel. The catalyst used
at the optimum temperature lower than partial oxidation temperature. The
reforming and combustion reaction are same with the partial oxidation
method.
The main reaction of steam reforming reaction is endothermic with the heat
supply from outside, but the thermal reforming is possible for thermal self-
reliance because the process accompany with partial oxidation which is an
exothermic reaction.

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

5.2 Production of hydrogen from natural gas

Table 5-4. Comparison of the method for producing a hydrogen from natural
gas

Production process conditions

Method Main reaction formula

Temperature Pressure H2/CO
(oC) (MPa) (Mole ratio)

Steam reforming (SR) 800~950 1~4 3~5 CH4+H2O->CO+3H2

Partial oxidation (POX) 1,100~1,500 < 10 <2 CH4+0.5O2->CO+2H2

Auto thermal reforming(ATR) 850~1,000 2~4 - Compound above two formula

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy
Hydrogen storage technology

It should pay special attention on handling and storage of hydrogen since considerate it is very light,
the energy per unit of volume is small and the easy leakage. Currently the main method for the
hydrogen storage method, there are compressing method, liquefaction, adsorption of hydrogen
storage alloys or carbon materials, reserves as the hydrogen containing compounds but all above
have there are their advantages and disadvantages respectively.

Table 5-5. Characteristics of hydrogen storage method

Method Advantages Disadvantages
Hydrogen gas Atmosphere Small capacity
(300K, 0.1MPa) Low volumetric concentration
Compressed hydrogen gas Low energy rate compare to liquefaction High pressure,
(300K, 35MPa) Low volumetric energy concentration,
Heavy storage container
Bulky
Liquefied hydrogen High in mass energy concentration, volumetric Liquefaction process requires a lot of energy
(20K, 0.1MPa) concentration is high and able to large amount Losses accompanied by evaporation and
flush
Instability

Hydrogen storage alloy High stability, high volumetric energy Alloys are heavy and expensive
(below 373K, 1MPa) concentration, long term storage, inhale and Low mass energy concentration
release controlled by heat, small operating power, Alloy segmentation and poisoning
can used under atmosphere temperature and
pressure
Carbon material High concentration than compressed hydrogen Require coolant
(Single layer carbon Nano and it is light source Pressure vessels
tube, 73K, 10MPa) Low concentration
Compounds of hydrogen High conversation ratio of hydrogen and transport Energy required for dehydrogenation
(300K, 0.1MPa) efficiency and enable storage or transport with
liquid form

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

Compressed hydrogen gas

Hydrogen stored in cylindrical, spherical storage vessel with 3 MPa and amount of 2,000~3,000 Nm3.
If need carrying then should store by high-pressure cylinders (bombe). It is on review that store in
high pressure vessel with light material that to ensure safety under the pressure of 50 ~ 70 MPa
(81kg, internal volume 111 L, store 4.4 kg).

Liquid hydrogen

Weight is 1/80 of the high pressure hydrogen cylinders and 1/10~ 1/25 alloy so it can be say have
outstaying from the view of weight but that is four times of gasoline, 3/10 of volumetric energy
concentration. Moreover, that needs thermo-stable material in order to maintain cryogenic state.
The energy concentration assumed less than half of gasoline. Liquefaction require extra energy
(10~14 kWh/kg, 28% loss) and there also have risks of leakage due to the evaporate (boil off) or
some amount of hydrogen flush happened during transportation (3% loss). To avoid evaporation have
to convert as much as Ortho hydrogen to Para hydrogen by iron oxide catalyst.

Hydrogen storage alloy

The hydrogen stored as compound of metal hydrogen through reaction and that it released hydrogen
according to decompression and increase temperature for making alloy.
Use multicomponent alloys such as LaNi5, MnNi5, TiFe, TiMn2 that possible for hydrogen occlusion
or emission under 100 ℃. So the hydrogen will have more than 200 ~ 500Nm3/m3, 1.2 wt% storage
density. According to the alloys it can be 1,000 times of the standard state hydrogen but the
hydrogen occlusion alloy as a stable method that offer higher hydrogen density than hydrogen gas or
liquid hydrogen. Currently, it is goal to reach more than 3-5 wt% of hydrogen storage density.

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

Carbon materials

The main process is physical adsorption of hydrogen on carbon and take consider that carbon
material (carbon nano tube, pipe) have nano structure besides graphite intercalation compounds,
activated carbon, carbon aerosols. The single layer carbon nano tube is a fine tube in 1.2nm diameter
formed cylindrical tube by hexagon net surface. Hydrogen will enter this tube by adsorption
phenomenon of capillary. It represents 5w% of hydrogen storing and the is constantly being drawing
attention as the material.

Compounds with liquid hydrogen

Use reaction of liquid hydrogen containing compounds (NaBH4) and water, reversible release of
hydrogen by formation or decomposition of reversible complex compounds (alkali metal hydride:
NaAlH4).

Fuel cell

The mostly used hydrogen technology and the areas reach the fast technological
advancement is fuel cell. The fuel cell mainly classified as usage of power plant,
transportation, household/commercial, portable fuel cells. In other hand, based on
technical aspects that will classified as poly electrolyte fuel cell, molten carbonate fuel
cell, solid oxide fuel cell and direct methanol fuel cell.

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

5.3 Type of fuel cell

Table 5-6. Comparison of features of various fuel cells

Operating Electrolyte Power
Index temperature Electric density generation Application area Remark
[oC] Matter State efficiency
PEMFC 50~100 Solid polymer S 3.8~6.5 38~42 Household, Low
Automobile temperature
DMFC 50~200 Solid polymer S - ~40 Portable
PAFC 160~210 Phosphoric acid L 0.8~1.9 38~42 Distributed power

MCFC 580~700 Molten carbonate L 0.1~1.5 50~60 Distributed power, High

Centralized power temperature
generation

SOFC 750~1000 Solid oxide S 1.5~2.6 50~60 Household, APU,

Distributed power,
Centralized power
generation

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

Hydrogen station

In order to commercialize the non pollution automobile which is use hydrogen as fuel need to arrange
hydrogen supply infrastructure that include construction of hydrogen station to instead of gasoline stand.
Hydrogen charge technologies include manufacturing, transportation, storage, high pressure equipment,
operating control and safety management. Hydrogen stations currently being operated throughout in the
world with various kinds of system but mostly can be divided into four basic systems.
Fuel reforming system that can produce hydrogen by reforming various fuel in the station, water electrolysis
system which obtain hydrogen from electrolysis process, storing hydrogen station that transport compressed
hydrogen by trailer from out of the station and storage the compressed hydrogen in the station and the last
one is liquid hydrogen station that transport liquid hydrogen to the station and vaporizing, compressing,
charging it again.

Fig. 5-3 Schematic diagram of hydrogen utilization procedure

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

Example of reforming installation

Korea Gas Corporation GS-Caltex SK

(natural gas reformer) (liquid fuel reformer) (LPG reformer)

Fig. 5-4 Example of reforming installation

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

5.4 Hydrogen fuel cell generation Education Curriculum

 Educational Objective
1. Understanding of the configuration of Hydrogen Fuel cell unit
2. To improve practical skill base on the Fuel cell about structure of the Fuel cell system
3. To have an understanding of driving characteristics and performance analysis through performance measurements
according to the changes in the input power.

 Educational Content
1. Practice of fuel cell power generation efficiency
2. Practice DC LOAD (LED) using fuel cell
3. Practice DC LOAD (MOTOR) using fuel cell
4. Practice comparing and analyzing solar and fuel cell power
5. Practice to compare the performance of fuel cell with load variation
6. Experiment of hydrogen fuel cell performance using electrolysis
7. Practice to compare performance according to the hydrogen fuel cell load changes using
electrolysis

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

5.4 Hydrogen fuel cell generation Education Curriculum

Solar-Hydrogen Fuel Cell Experiment Equipment
Solar-Hydrogen Fuel Cell Experiment Equipment
(KTE-7000SH)

 Solar PV used in hydrogen fuel cell test equipment in

console type / portable test equipment which will
 Experiment on electricity generation principle and
structure using electrolysis and hydrogen
 Experiment on fuel cell structure and operating principle

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Chapter 5. Hydrogen energy

5.4 Hydrogen fuel cell generation Education Curriculum

Electrolysis-Hydrogen Fuel Cell Experiment Equipment

Electrolysis-Hydrogen Fuel Cell Experiment

Equipment (KTE-7000HS)

 Simulation on electricity generation principle and

structure using electrolysis and hydrogen
 Simulation on fuel cell structure and operating
principle
 Operating experiment load are LED

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