Applications & Pathways
Deep-Decarbonisation Pathways for UK Industry
Dec 2020
Publication
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) commissioned Element Energy to improve our evidence base on the potential of industrial deep-decarbonisation measures (fuel switching CCS/BECCS measures to reduce methane emissions) and develop pathways for their application. This report summarises the evidence and results of the work including:Evidence on the key constraints and costs for technology and infrastructure deploymentThe methodolo Read More
Development of a Pneumatic Actuated Low-pressure Direct Injection Gas Injector for Hydrogen-fueled Internal Combustion Engines
Dec 2022
Publication
Mixture formation is one of the greatest challenges for the development of robust and efficient hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines. In many reviews and research papers authors pointed out that direct injection (DI) has noteworthy advantages over a port fuel injection (PFI) such as higher power output higher efficiency the possibility of mixture stratification to control NOx-formation and reduce heat losses and above all to mitigate combusti Read More
EUA- Bringing Hydrogen Alive
Apr 2021
Publication
The UK is on course to become a global leader in hydrogen technology. Over £3bn is ready to be invested into hydrogen today. The pace of activity is rapid and the opportunities are vast.Join us at our free to attend event where you will gain unique insights into how the Hydrogen industry is progressing together with exclusive access to future plans.The dynamic and lively session will demonstrate the viability of hydrogen as a key component to achieve Net Read More
Life Cycle Assessment of Fuel Cell Vehicles Considering the Detailed Vehicle Components: Comparison and Scenario Analysis in China Based on Different Hydrogen Production Schemes
Aug 2019
Publication
Numerous studies concerning the life cycle assessment of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) have been conducted. However little attention has been paid to the life cycle assessment of an FCV from the perspective of the detailed vehicle components. This work conducts the life cycle assessment of Toyota Mirai with all major components considered in a Chinese context. Both the vehicle cycle and the fuel cycle are included. Both comprehensive resources and en Read More
Comparison of Hydrogen Powertrains with the Battery Powered Electric Vehicle and Investigation of Small-Scale Local Hydrogen Production Using Renewable Energy
Jan 2021
Publication
Climate change is one of the major problems that people face in this century with fossil fuel combustion engines being huge contributors. Currently the battery powered electric vehicle is considered the predecessor while hydrogen vehicles only have an insignificant market share. To evaluate if this is justified different hydrogen power train technologies are analyzed and compared to the battery powered electric vehicle. Even though most research focu Read More
Internal Film Cooling with Discrete-Slot Injection Orifices in Hydrogen/Oxygen Engine Thrust Chambers
May 2022
Publication
In the present study a hydrogen and oxygen heat-sink engine thrust chamber and the corresponding injection faceplate with discrete slot orifices are devised to study the cooling performance near the faceplate region. Moreover a set of experiments and numerical simulations are conducted to evaluate the effects of various factors on combustion performance and film cooling efficiency. According to the obtained result the circumferential cooling efficiency h Read More
Hydrogen: Untapped Energy?
Jan 2012
Publication
Hydrogen has potential applications across our future energy systems due particularly to its relatively high energy weight ratio and because it is emission-free at the point of use. Hydrogen is also abundant and versatile in the sense that it could be produced from a variety of primary energy sources and chemical substances including water and used to deliver power in a variety of applications including fuel cell combined heat and power technologi Read More
Acoustic and Psychoacoustic Levels from an Internal Combustion Engine Fueled by Hydrogen vs. Gasoline
Feb 2022
Publication
Whereas noise generated by road traffic is an important factor in urban pollution little attention has been paid to this issue in the field of hydrogen-fueled vehicles. The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of the type of fuel (gasoline or hydrogen) on the sound levels produced by a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. A Volkswagen Polo 1.4 vehicle adapted for its bi-fuel hydrogen-gasoline operation has been used. Tests were carried o Read More
Hydrogen for Australia’s Future
Aug 2018
Publication
The Hydrogen Strategy Group chaired by Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel has today released a briefing paper on the potential domestic and export opportunities of a hydrogen industry in Australia.Like natural gas hydrogen can be used to heat buildings and power vehicles. Unlike natural gas or petrol when hydrogen is burned there are no CO2 emissions. The only by-products are water vapour and heat.Hydrogen is the most abundant element i Read More
Towards Ecological Alternatives in Bearing Lubrication
Jun 2021
Publication
Hydrogen is the cleanest fuel available because its combustion product is water. The internal combustion engine can in principle and without significant modifications run on hydrogen to produce mechanical energy. Regarding the technological solution leading to compact engines a question to ask is the following: Can combustion engine systems be lubricated with hydrogen? In general since many applications such as in turbomachines is it possible Read More
Emerging, Hydrogen-driven Electrochemical Water Purification
Jan 2022
Publication
Energy-efficient technologies for the remediation of water and generation of drinking water is a key towards sustainable technologies. Electrochemical desalination technologies are promising alternatives towards established methods such as reverse osmosis or ultrafiltration. In the last few years hydrogen-driven electrochemical water purification has emerged. This review article explores the concept of desalination fuel cells and capacitive-Faradaic f Read More
Mobility from Renewable Electricity: Infrastructure Comparison for Battery and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles
May 2018
Publication
This work presents a detailed breakdown of the energy conversion chains from intermittent electricity to a vehicle considering battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). The traditional well-to-wheel analysis is adapted to a grid to mobility approach by introducing the intermediate steps of useful electricity energy carrier and on-board storage. Specific attention is given to an effective coupling with renewable electricity sources and as Read More
Public Acceptance for the Implementation of Hydrogen Self-refueling Stations
Sep 2021
Publication
The utilization of hydrogen energy is important for achieving a low-carbon society. Japan has set ambitious goals for hydrogen stations and fuel cell vehicles focusing on the introduction and dissemination of self-refuelling systems. This paper evaluates public trust in the fuel equipment and self-handling technology related to self-refuelling hydrogen stations and compares it with that for widespread gasoline stations. To this end the results of an online survey o Read More
Economic Analysis of a High-pressure Urban Pipeline Concept (HyLine) for Delivering Hydrogen to Retail Fueling Stations
Nov 2019
Publication
Reducing the cost of delivering hydrogen to fuelling stations and dispensing it into fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) is one critical element of efforts to increase the cost-competitiveness of FCEVs. Today hydrogen is primarily delivered to stations by trucks. Pipeline delivery is much rarer: one urban U.S. station has been supplied with 800-psi hydrogen from an industrial hydrogen pipeline since 2011 and a German station on the edge of an industrial park h Read More
A Novel Integration of a Green Power-to-ammonia to Power System: Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for Hydrogen and Power Production Coupled with an Ammonia Synthesis Unit
Mar 2021
Publication
Renewable energy is a key solution in maintaining global warming below 2 °C. However its intermittency necessitates the need for energy conversion technologies to meet demand when there are insufficient renewable energy resources. This study aims to tackle these challenges by thermo-electrochemical modelling and simulation of a reversible solid oxide fuel cell (RSOFC) and integration with the Haber Bosch process. The novelty of the proposed s Read More
Constrained Extended Kalman Filter Design and Application for On-line State Estimation of High-order Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Systems
Jun 2021
Publication
In this paper an alternative approach to extended Kalman filtering (EKF) for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (FC) systems is proposed. The goal is to obtain robust real-time capable state estimations of a high-order FC model for observer applications mixed with control or fault detection. The introduced formulation resolves dependencies on operating conditions by successive linearization and constraints allowing to run the nonlinear FC model at si Read More
Scaling Factors for Channel Width Variations in Tree-like Flow Field Patterns for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells - An Experimental Study
Apr 2021
Publication
To have a uniform distribution of reactants is an advantage to a fuel cell. We report results for such a distributor with tree-like flow field plates (FFP). Numerical simulations have shown that the width scaling parameters of tree-like patterns in FFPs used in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) reduces the viscous dissipation in the channels. In this study experimental investigations were conducted on a 2-layer FF plate possessing a tree-li Read More
A Modeling Study of Lifetime and Performance Improvements of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell by Reversed Pulse Operation
Jan 2022
Publication
Chromium poisoning of the air electrode is a primary degradation mechanism for solid oxide cells (SOCs) operating under fuel cell mode. Recent experimental findings show that reversed pulse operation for SOCs operated as electrolyser cells can reverse this degradation and extend the lifetime. Here we use a multiphysics model of an SOC to investigate the effects of reversed pulse operation for alleviating chromium poisoning of the air electro Read More
Analysis of Hydrogen Filling of 175 Liter Tank for Large-Sized Hydrogen Vehicle
May 2022
Publication
Due to the low density of hydrogen gas under ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure conditions the high-pressure gaseous hydrogen storage method is widely employed. With high-pressure characteristics of hydrogen storage rigorous safety precautions are required such as filling of compressed gas in a hydrogen tank to achieve reliable operational solutions. Especially for the large-sized tanks (above 150 L) safety operation of hydrogen st Read More
Optimization of Component Sizing for a Fuel Cell-Powered Truck to Minimize Ownership Cost
Mar 2019
Publication
In this study we consider fuel cell-powered electric trucks (FCETs) as an alternative to conventional medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. FCETs use a battery combined with onboard hydrogen storage for energy storage. The additional battery provides regenerative braking and better fuel economy but it will also increase the initial cost of the vehicle. Heavier reliance on stored hydrogen might be cheaper initially but operational costs will be higher because Read More
Optimal Scheduling of a Hydrogen-Based Energy Hub Considering a Stochastic Multi-Attribute Decision-Making Approach
Jan 2023
Publication
Nowadays the integration of multi-energy carriers is one of the most critical matters in smart energy systems with the aim of meeting sustainable energy development indicators. Hydrogen is referred to as one of the main energy carriers in the future energy industry but its integration into the energy system faces different open challenges which have not yet been comprehensively studied. In this paper a novel day-ahead scheduling is presented to rea Read More
Facile Synthesis of Palladium Phosphide Electrocatalysts and their Activity for the Hydrogen Oxidation, Hydrogen Evolutions, Oxygen Reduction and Formic Acid Oxidation Reactions
Nov 2015
Publication
We demonstrate a new approach for producing highly dispersed supported metal phosphide powders with small particle size improved stability and increased electrocatalytic activity towards some useful reactions. The approach involves a one-step conversion of metal supported on high surface area carbon to the metal phosphide utilising a very simple and scalable synthetic process. We use this approach to produce PdP2 and Pd5P2 particles dispersed on ca Read More
A Comparison of Two Hydrogen Storages in a Fossil Free Direct Reduced Iron Process
Jul 2021
Publication
Hydrogen direct reduction has been proposed as a means to decarbonize primary steelmaking. Preferably the hydrogen necessary for this process is produced via water electrolysis. A downside to electrolysis is the large electricity demand. The electricity cost of water electrolysis may be reduced by using a hydrogen storage to exploit variations in electricity price i.e. producing more hydrogen when the electricity price is low and vice versa. In this pap Read More
Decarbonization in Shipping Industry: A Review of Research, Technology Development, and Innovation Proposals
Apr 2021
Publication
This review paper examines the possible pathways and possible technologies available that will help the shipping sector achieve the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) deep decarbonization targets by 2050. There has been increased interest from important stakeholders regarding deep decarbonization evidenced by market surveys conducted by Shell and Deloitte. However deep decarbonization will require financial incentives and policies at an int Read More
Optimal Planning of Hybrid Electric-hydrogen Energy Storage Systems via Multi-objective Particle Swarm Optimization
Jan 2023
Publication
In recent years hydrogen is rapidly developing because it is environmentally friendly and sustainable. In this case hydrogen energy storage systems (HESSs) can be widely used in the distribution network. The application of hybrid electric-hydrogen energy storage systems can solve the adverse effects caused by renewable energy access to the distribution network. In order to ensure the rationality and effectiveness of energy storage systems (ESSs) configu Read More
Energy Management of Heavy-duty Fuel Cell Vehicles in Real-world Driving Scenarios: Robust Design of Strategies to Maximize the Hydrogen Economy and System Lifetime
Feb 2021
Publication
Energy management is a critical issue for the advancement of fuel cell vehicles because it significantly influences their hydrogen economy and lifetime. This paper offers a comprehensive investigation of the energy management of heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles for road freight transportation. An important and unique contribution of this study is the development of an extensive and realistic representation of the vehicle operation which includes 1750 hour Read More
Why Can’t We Just Burn Hydrogen? Challenges When Changing Fuels in an Existing Infrastructure
Feb 2021
Publication
The current global consumption of natural gas as a fuel is roughly 4 trillion cubic meters per year. In terms of energy the demand for natural gas exceeds the global demand for fossil fuels for transportation. Despite this observation the challenges to natural gas end use that arise when changing the composition of the fuel are largely absent from public policy and research agendas whereas for transportation fuels the issues are more appreciated. Natural gas Read More
Potentials of Hydrogen Technologies for Sustainable Factory Systems
Mar 2021
Publication
The industrial sector is the world’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gases hence a methodology for decarbonizing factory systems is crucial for achieving global climate goals. Hydrogen is an important medium for the transition towards carbon neutral factories due to its broad applicability within the factory including its use in electricity and heat generation and as a process gas or fuel. One of the main challenges is the identification of economi Read More
Preparation, Performance and Challenges of Catalyst Layer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell
Nov 2021
Publication
In this paper the composition function and structure of the catalyst layer (CL) of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) are summarized. The hydrogen reduction reaction (HOR) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) processes and their mechanisms and the main interfaces of CL (PEM|CL and CL|MPL) are described briefly. The process of mass transfer (hydrogen oxygen and water) proton and electron transfer in MEA are described in de Read More
Review on Blended Hydrogen-fuel Internal Combustion Engines: A Case Study for China
Apr 2022
Publication
Under the dual pressure of energy conservation and environmental protection the internal combustion engine industry is facing huge challenges and it is imperative to find new clean energy. Hydrogen energy is expected to replace traditional fossil fuels as an excellent fuel for internal combustion engines because of its clean continuous regeneration and good combustion performance. This review article focuses on the research and development of Read More
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology for the Sustainable Future of Stationary Applications
Dec 2019
Publication
The climate changes that are becoming visible today are a challenge for the global research community. The stationary applications sector is one of the most important energy consumers. Harnessing the potential of renewable energy worldwide is currently being considered to find alternatives for obtaining energy by using technologies that offer maximum efficiency and minimum pollution. In this context new energy generation technologies are needed to bo Read More
Life Cycle Assessment Integration into Energy System Models: An Application for Power-to-Methane in the EU
Nov 2019
Publication
As the EU energy system transitions to low carbon the technology choices should consider a broader set of criteria. The use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) prevents burden shift across life cycle stages or impact categories while the use of Energy System Models (ESM) allows evaluating alternative policies capacity evolution and covering all the sectors. This study does an ex-post LCA analysis of results from JRC-EU-TIMES and estimates the environme Read More
Effect of Supercharging on Improving Thermal Efficiency and Modifying Combustion Characteristics in Lean-burn Direct-injection Near-zero-emission Hydrogen Engines
Oct 2021
Publication
The authors have proposed a new combustion process called the Plume Ignition Combustion Concept (PCC) in which with an optimal combination of hydrogen injection timing and controlled jet geometry the plume of the hydrogen jet is spark-ignited to accomplish combustion of a rich mixture. This combustion process markedly improves thermal efficiency by reducing cooling loss which is essential for increasing thermal efficiency in a hydrogen engine w Read More
Conceptual Design of a Hybrid Hydrogen Fuel Cell/Battery Blended-Wing-Body Unmanned Aerial Vehicle—An Overview
May 2022
Publication
The manuscript presents the conceptual design phase of an unmanned aerial vehicle with the objective of a systems approach towards the integration of a hydrogen fuel-cell system and Li-ion batteries into an aerodynamically efficient platform representative of future aircraft configurations. Using a classical approach to aircraft design and a combination of low- and high-resolution computational simulations a final blended wing body UAV was designed Read More
Systematic Overview of Newly Available Technologies in the Green Maritime Sector
Jan 2023
Publication
The application of newly available technologies in the green maritime sector is difficult due to conflicting requirements and the inter-relation of different ecological technological and economical parameters. The governments incentivize radical reductions in harmful emissions as an overall priority. If the politics do not change the continuous implementation of stricter government regulations for reducing emissions will eventually result in the mandatory us Read More
Zero-Emission Pathway for the Global Chemical and Petrochemical Sector
Jun 2021
Publication
The chemical and petrochemical sector relies on fossil fuels and feedstocks and is a major source of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emissions. The techno-economic potential of 20 decarbonisation options is assessed. While previous analyses focus on the production processes this analysis covers the full product life cycle CO2 emissions. The analysis elaborates the carbon accounting complexity that results from the non-energy use of fossil fuels and highlights the im Read More
A Review of the Latest Trends in the Use of Green Ammonia as an Energy Carrier in Maritime Industry
Feb 2022
Publication
This review paper examines the key barriers to using green ammonia as an alternative fuel in maritime industry. A literature survey is performed based on research articles and grey literature with the aim of discussing the technoeconomic problems with and benefits of ammonia and the relevant technologies. The limitations of ammonia as a maritime fuel and its supply chain the expected percentage demand by 2030 and 2050 its economic performanc Read More
Life Cycle Environmental and Cost Comparison of Current and Future Passenger Cars under Different Energy Scenarios
Apr 2020
Publication
In this analysis life cycle environmental burdens and total costs of ownership (TCO) of current (2017) and future (2040) passenger cars with different powertrain configurations are compared. For all vehicle configurations probability distributions are defined for all performance parameters. Using these a Monte Carlo based global sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the input parameters that contribute most to overall variability of results. Read More
Integrating Housing Stock and Energy System Models as a Strategy to Improve Heat Decarbonisation Assessments
Aug 2014
Publication
The UK government heat strategy is partially based on decarbonisation pathways from the UK MARKAL energy system model. We review how heat provision is represented in UK MARKAL identifying a number of shortcomings and areas for improvement. We present a completely revised model with improved estimations of future heat demands and a consistent representation of all heat generation technologies. This model represents all heat delivery in Read More
Optimal Synergy between Photovoltaic Panels and Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Green Power Supply of a Green Building—A Case Study
Jun 2021
Publication
Alternative energy resources have a significant function in the performance and decarbonization of power engendering schemes in the building application domain. Additionally “green buildings” play a special role in reducing energy consumption and minimizing CO2 emissions in the building sector. This research article analyzes the performance of alternative primary energy sources (sun and hydrogen) integrated into a hybrid photovoltaic panel/fuel cell sy Read More
Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Simultaneous Hydrogen and Nitrogen Addition on the Emissions and Combustion of a Diesel Engine
Jan 2014
Publication
Overcoming diesel engine emissions trade-off effects especially NOx and Bosch smoke number (BSN) requires investigation of novel systems which can potentially serve the automobile industry towards further emissions reduction. Enrichment of the intake charge with H2 þ N2 containing gas mixture obtained from diesel fuel reforming system can lead to new generation low polluting diesel engines. This paper investigates the effect of simultaneous H2 þ Read More
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Energy Flow Analysis in Real Driving Conditions (RDC)
Aug 2021
Publication
The search for fossil fuels substitutes forces the use of new propulsion technologies applied to means of transportation. Already widespread hybrid vehicles are beginning to share the market with hydrogen-powered propulsion systems. These systems are fuel cells or internal combustion engines powered by hydrogen fuel. In this context road tests of a hydrogen fuel cell drive were conducted under typical traffic conditions according to the requirement Read More
Recent Developments in High-Performance Nafion Membranes for Hydrogen Fuel Cells Applications
Aug 2021
Publication
As a promising alternative to petroleum fossil energy polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell has drawn considerable attention due to its low pollution emission high energy density portability and long operation times. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) like Nafion plays an essential role as the core of fuel cell. A good PEM must have satisfactory performance such as high proton conductivity excellent mechanical strength electrochemical stability and Read More
Hydrogenation Production via Chemical Looping Reforming of Coke Oven Gas
Jun 2020
Publication
Coke oven gas (COG) is one of the most important by-products in the steel industry and the conversion of COG to value-added products has attracted much attention from both economic and environmental views. In this work we apply the chemical looping reforming technology to produce pure H2 from COG. A series of La1-xSrxFeO3 (x = 0 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6) perovskite oxides were prepared as oxygen carriers for this purpose. The reduction behaviours Read More
Hybrid Power-heat Microgrid Solution Using Hydrogen as an Energy Vector for Residential Houses in Spain. A Case Study
May 2022
Publication
In order to favor a transition to a renewable energy economy it is necessary to study the possible permeation of renewable energy sources not only in the electric grid or industrial scale but also in the small householding scale. One of the most interesting technologies available for this purpose is solar energy since it is a mature technology that can be easily installed in every rooftop. Thus a techno-economic assessment was carried out to evaluate the i Read More
Environmental Sustainability of Alternative Marine Propulsion Technologies Powered by Hydrogen - A Life Cycle Assessment Approach
Jan 2022
Publication
Shipping is a very important source of pollution worldwide. In recent years numerous actions and measures have been developed trying to reduce the levels of greenhouse gases (GHG) from the marine exhaust emissions in the fight against climate change boosting the Sustainable Development Goal 13. Following this target the action of hydrogen as energy vector makes it a suitable alternative to be used as fuel constituting a very promising energy carrier f Read More
Optimal Development of Alternative Fuel Station Networks Considering Node Capacity Restrictions
Jan 2020
Publication
A potential solution to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport sector is the use of alternative fuel vehicles (AFV). As global GHG emission standards have been in place for passenger cars for several years infrastructure modelling for new AFV is an established topic. However as the regulatory focus shifts towards heavy-duty vehicles (HDV) the market diffusion of AFV-HDV will increase as will planning the relevant AFV infrastructure for H Read More
A Portfolio of Powertrains for the UK: An Energy Systems Analysis
Jul 2014
Publication
There has recently been a concerted effort to commence a transition to fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) in Europe. A coalition of companies released an influential McKinsey-coordinated report in 2010 which concluded that FCVs are ready for commercial deployment. Public–private H2Mobility programmes have subsequently been established across Europe to develop business cases for the introduction of FCVs. In this paper we examine the conclusions of t Read More
Hydrogen Ironmaking: How It Works
Jul 2020
Publication
A new route for making steel from iron ore based on the use of hydrogen to reduce iron oxides is presented detailed and analyzed. The main advantage of this steelmaking route is the dramatic reduction (90% off) in CO2 emissions compared to those of the current standard blast-furnace route. The first process of the route is the production of hydrogen by water electrolysis using CO2-lean electricity. The challenge is to achieve massive production of H2 in Read More
CFD Simulations of Filling and Emptying of Hydrogen Tanks
Jun 2016
Publication
During the filling of hydrogen tanks high temperatures can be generated inside the vessel because of the gas compression while during the emptying low temperatures can be reached because of the gas expansion. The design temperature range goes from −40 °C to 85 °C. Temperatures outside that range could affect the mechanical properties of the tank materials. CFD analyses of the filling and emptying processes have been performed in the HyTr Read More
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