1. Renewable Energy Based Hydrogen Production
Presented By: H2 Generation
Client: Dr. Tom Acker
9/21/2018

2. Joshua Spear – Team Leader Robert Burke – Team Mediator
Ryan Hirschi – Financial Officer
Andrew Boone – Secretary/Webpage
9/21/2018
H2 Generation Systems --

3. Presentation Overview
Problem description/State of the Art Research
Hydrogen Safety Awareness
H2 Generation’s Deliverables
Description of Design
Analysis of Design
Conclusion/Questions and Answer
9/21/2018

4. The Client Dr. Thomas Acker Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Northern Arizona University
Coordinator of the Renewable Energies Resource Center
9/21/2018

5. Is there an Alternative ?
“With a new national commitment, our scientists and engineers will overcome obstacles to taking these cars from laboratory to showroom, so that the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen, and pollution-free.”
President George W. Bush
2003 State of the Union Address
9/21/2018

6. Problem Statement
Design a renewable energy based hydrogen generation station.
Client Requirements:
Use existing renewable energy sources to produce hydrogen gas.
Hydrogen must be produced using water collected on site.
Hydrogen must be stored in a manner available to fuel a vehicle.
9/21/2018

7. Additional Design Criteria
Hydrogen use in internal combustion
Purity of 99%
Hydrogen use in fuel cell technology
Purity of %
USCAR (United States Council for Automotive Research)
9/21/2018

8. H2 Generation Deliverables:
System design incorporating:
Specified Design
Thermodynamic analysis
Simulation
Website
Demonstration of concept model:
Design and construct
9/21/2018

9. Team Design Budget Maximum design budget of $1000
Design Costs
Documents: $75
Fliers: $15
Poster: $15
Model Costs
Electrolyzer: $160
Engine: $70
Misc: $30
Total Budget Used: $365 (Under budget)
9/21/2018

10. State of the Art Research
Hydrogen Production methods
Hydrogen Storage methods
Existing hydrogen production facilities
The Schatz Solar Hydrogen Project
9/21/2018

11. Safety Awareness: Shifting Paradigms
Facts:
Hydrogen’s range of combustibility 4%-75% in air (much larger than gasoline)
Hydrogen’s flame is invisible in daylight
Hydrogen dissipates quickly
Myths:
Hindenburg---real cause
H2 storage is excessively dangerous
9/21/2018

12. Pre-Design Calculations
How Much Hydrogen Do We Need?
=>48,000 gallons H2(STP) Assume:30 mpg car 50 miles/month
How Much H2 Gas do we get from water?
=> 1 gallon H20 ~1300 gallons H2 gas
How Much Water Do We Need?
=>48,000 gallons/ 1300 gallons H2/gallon H20
=> gallons H20 (~11 million gallons H2 possible)
9/21/2018

13. Pre-Design Calculations Cont.
How Much Energy Do We Have?
=> ~14,000 KWh
@40% efficiency this yields 520,000 gallons H2
What is the Limiting Factor?
Electricity is by far the limiting factor in designing the system. Very little water is needed compared to what is available.
9/21/2018

14. Proposed Project Components
9/21/2018

15. Water Collection and Treatment
System Design
9/21/2018

16. Water Collection and Treatment
Cost Projection
The RainCatcher
$120
Gilmore 9100
$27
The Rainmaker
$398
55 gallon Drum
$30
Misc.*
$150
Total=
$725
*Miscellaneous Parts:
Garden Hose
Fittings
Stand
9/21/2018

17. System Design I (High Purity)
Packard Hydrogen Generator B9800
Hydrogen purity at %
Solid polymer electrolyte
Output pressure 90 psig, with 72 L/h of H2 production
Hours to produce needed hydrogen: 7.4 h/day
Automatic shutoff, Hydrogen leak detection
Certified Safety: National Fire Protection Agency, OSHA
9/21/2018

18. System I Total Cost
Packard H2 Generator
$19,802
Total=
9/21/2018

19. System Design II (Low Purity)
Components:
3 PEM electrolyzers (Polymer-electrolyte membrane)
2 Purification trains, Hydrogen leak detection
9/21/2018

20. System II Total Cost $1,470 $3,500 $1,408 $6,378 HM4800 H2 Generator
Purification Train
$3,500
H2 sensor
$1,408
Total=
$6,378
9/21/2018

21. Hydrogen Storage
System Design
9/21/2018

22. Hydrogen Storage *Other Parts: $1,432 Cost Projection $3,500 $225 $148
2 Propane Tanks
$1,432
Gas Booster
$3,500
Air Compressor
$225
Gas Cylinder
$148
Other Parts*
$100
Total =
$5,405
*Other Parts:
Pipes to connect components
Fittings/Adapters
Flashback Arrestors
Valves
9/21/2018

23. Overall Estimated System Costs
Water Collection and Treatment
$725
Electrolyzer
$19,802
Hydrogen Storage
$5,405
Total:
$25,932
Water Collection and Treatment
$725
Electrolyzer
$6,325
Hydrogen Storage
$5,405
Total:
$12,455
9/21/2018

24. Existing Renewable Energies – Specifications and Analysis
Sun – PV Cells
Roof of the “Solar Shack”
45 Degree South array
Wind – Wind Turbines
1.5kW Bergey wind turbine
Precipitation – water collection
Roof of solar shack is used to collect water
9/21/2018

25. Renewable Energy
9/21/2018

26. Basic Renewable Energy Monthly Break-Down
Solar accounts for 98.5%
Wind accounts for 1.5%
9/21/2018

27. Battery / Energy Demand
Battery Bank – Amp-hr
Invert to and supply 120 VAC
Electrical demand – Electrolyzer, compressor and sensor/control devices
9/21/2018

28. Precipitation Availability
Area of collection: Roof of “Solar Shack”
Precipitation averages include over 30 years of data
Over 10,000 gallons of water will fall upon the “Solar Shack” Roof.
Recall: an estimate of 40 gallons required
Even with evaporation and snow loss, we will have a large excess
9/21/2018

29. Analysis Thermodynamic Simulation Simulation Results
Worst Efficiency: Air Compressor ~37%
Simulation
Using Solar Data from 2000 in Microsoft Excel
Neglecting wind power input (~1.5%)
Calculates volume of hydrogen the system could have produced each month
Simulation Results
Energy collected: 9,378 kWh
133,965 gallons of STP
~ 1700 miles traveled by theoretical racecar
9/21/2018

30. Working Hours Total Team Hours: 586 hours
Average teammate hours: hours
9/21/2018

31. Conclusion H2 Generation completed deliverables:
Specified Design
Thermo Dynamic Analysis
Computer Simulation
Demonstration of concept model
H2 Generation will soon be completing:
Final Report: May 2nd
Future Recommendations:
Improved Hydrogen Compressor
9/21/2018

32. Acknowledgements H2 Generation sends thanks to:
Dr. Thomas Acker, NAU CET
Rob Slack, RERC
Bill Young, Bill Young Designs & Hobbies
Dr. Earl Duque, NAU CET
Dr. David Hartman, NAU CET
9/21/2018

33. Demonstration of Concept Model
9/21/2018

34. Questions or Comments?
9/21/2018