Fuel Cells - Ethanol Yields Hydrogen

gmiller261

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I give US 2 years to adapt. Gas prices $2.58 in some states, the SUV people need alternatives to stop supply and demand of oil. They sure as hell are not going to give them up. That would be too easy and un-American.


http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/rnb_030804.asp?trk=nl

Fuel cells that convert the chemical bonds between hydrogen atoms to energy are about three times more efficient than combustion engines that burn hydrocarbons. And fuel cells powered with pure hydrogen carry out the conversion cleanly.

The trick is finding a cost-effective way to produce hydrogen without polluting the environment.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the University of Patras in Greece have devised a way to extract hydrogen directly from ethanol, which would make for a renewable energy cycle. Ethanol is produced by converting biomass like cornstarch to sugar, then fermenting it.

The researchers' method is relatively simple, and an ethanol-to-hydrogen converter designed for home use would be not much larger than a coffee mug.
 

Keith R

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gmiller261 said:
I give US 2 years to adapt. Gas prices $2.58 in some states, the SUV people need alternatives to stop supply and demand of oil. They sure as hell are not going to give them up. That would be too easy and un-American.


http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/rnb_030804.asp?trk=nl

Fuel cells that convert the chemical bonds between hydrogen atoms to energy are about three times more efficient than combustion engines that burn hydrocarbons. And fuel cells powered with pure hydrogen carry out the conversion cleanly.

The trick is finding a cost-effective way to produce hydrogen without polluting the environment.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the University of Patras in Greece have devised a way to extract hydrogen directly from ethanol, which would make for a renewable energy cycle. Ethanol is produced by converting biomass like cornstarch to sugar, then fermenting it.

The researchers' method is relatively simple, and an ethanol-to-hydrogen converter designed for home use would be not much larger than a coffee mug.
And the DR connection is....?
 

Narcosis

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Sugarcane!

Keith:

Correct me if i'm wrong, can't Ethanol be derived from sugarcane?

I have heard of several proposed projects here for Alcohol refining a-la Brazilian investors, problem is the petroleum giants smash any efforts.

Please look into this subject it would be very interesting if there is any future for alternative uses for sugarcane by-products.
 

Keith R

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Narcosis, I was just doing my duty as moderator, asking posters to make threads DR-relevant. No need to get sarcastic. In any case, as I read his post, he was more concerned about hydrogen production, not ethanol production...

Wud raises a very good point. Most of these projects to date have not been sustainable without heavy subsidies -- a luxury the DR does not have, I'm afraid. Brazil's massive Pro-Alcool project became unsustainable when world oil prices dropped (I don't think oil price drops were "rigged" by "petroleum giants" with Brazil's alcohol program in mind, Narcosis!) and the Brazilian government could not afford to keep subsidizing the production of fuel ethanol from bagasse. [There's been talk for years in Brazil about utilizing a "green tax" on petroleum-based fuels to fund an alcohol fuel program, but the politicians have been afraid to raise Brazilian's prices at the pump.] Nonetheless, with oil prices now high once more, Brazil is experimenting with ethanol-gas blends in a program known as Pro-Biodiesel. Time will tell whether this will succeed any better than Pro-Alcool did...

Regards,
Keith
 

Narcosis

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Sorry Keith

Was not my intention to be sarcastic.

I really know very little on the subject, but I responded because I remember of a pilot project that was slated here and a pilot "fuel station" was to be installed to introduce Ethanol to the DR market. This effort was reportedly silenced by the local petroleum industry.

On the same subject, it has been rumored that "the bald one" is pushing towards attracting investment in this area because of a "supposed" US market that exists for Ethanol and favorable trade agreements on the fuel, the DR enjoys, thus the interest from the Brazilians to invest here.
 

Keith R

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Narcosis said:
Was not my intention to be sarcastic.

I really know very little on the subject, but I responded because I remember of a pilot project that was slated here and a pilot "fuel station" was to be installed to introduce Ethanol to the DR market. This effort was reportedly silenced by the local petroleum industry.

On the same subject, it has been rumored that "the bald one" is pushing towards attracting investment in this area because of a "supposed" US market that exists for Ethanol and favorable trade agreements on the fuel, the DR enjoys, thus the interest from the Brazilians to invest here.
Hmmm, interesting. I hadn't heard that rumor. Sounds like something Baldy might go for. Never met yet an investment scheme he didn't like -- especially when it results in a "commission" deposited in a numbered account in Zurich....

Narcosis and others interested in bioenergy might want to check out the following link: http://www.ieabioenergy.com/
 

gmiller261

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Leaving nothing to the imagination.

Brugal rum == 80 proof == 40% ethanol (CH3CH2OH). Distill large vats using solar energy until you get ?white lightning? 95~100% ethanol.

Even better still, since no one should drink it, the whole process could be done with solar and longer fermentation periods.

CH3CH2OH ~ 3 moles of hydrogen (H2) per mole of ethanol.

1 mole of hydrogen gas (a diatomic gas with the formula H2) has a mass equal to 2 x 1.008 = 2.016g
1 mole contains the same number of particles as there are in 12g of carbon-12 atoms by definition.
1 mole contains the same number of particles as there are in 16g of oxygen-16 atoms by definition.

Therefore 1 mole of ethanol (12+3.024+12+2.016+16+1.008) ~ 46 grams of ?rum?.

? 1 mole of an ideal gas has a volume of
22.4 liters (22.4L) at S.T.P. [Standard Temperature and Pressure, 0oC (273K) and 101.3kPa (1 atmosphere)]

Calculations without ?friction? would be:
46 grams of ?rum? would produce 3 moles of H2, which is 67.2 liters of pure Hydrogen. What is that, 2 ? 3 shots?

This hydrogen could be 1) sold to the US when they finally figure out they need alternatives. 2) Used locally for transportation, absorption cooling systems (3 times more efficient than electrical) OR Hydrogen fuel cells (go figure).

Using fuel cells with current technology. (2 ? 2.8 kw Stack) ~ 3 minutes per mole. Can we extrapolate the numbers for 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 hours?

2 - 2.8kW Stack
Number of cells: 48
Area: 245 cm2
Power:2kW 32V, 2.8kW 28V
Reactants: H2/air, reformate/air
Temperature Ambient-70oC
Pressure ~ 1-10 psi
Humidification: self-humidified
Cooling: Water
Weight (approx.): ~ 48 pounds
Dimension (approx.): 26 cm x 24 cm x 24 cm
Type of fuel cell: PEM
Flow rate at max output About 24 liters per minute of hydrogen
Start up time: Instantaneous
Efficiency of stack: 50% at full power