Basics of hydrogen as a fuel

What is Hydrogen?

Hydrogen can be considered as the simplest element in existence. Hydrogen is also one of the most abundant elements in the earth’s crust. However, hydrogen as a gas is not found naturally on Earth and must be manufactured. This is because hydrogen gas is lighter than air and rises into the atmosphere as a result. Natural hydrogen is always associated with other elements in compound form such as water, coal and petroleum.

Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier
Hydrogen is considered as a secondary source of energy, commonly referred to as an energy carrier. Energy carriers are used to move, store and deliver energy in a form that can be easily used. Electricity is the most well-known example of an energy carrier.

Hydrogen as an important energy carrier in the future has a number of advantages. For example, a large volume of hydrogen can be easily stored in a number of different ways, including underground hydrogen storage, compressed hydrogen in tanks, or through chemical compounds that release hydrogen after heating.

How is Hydrogen Produced?
Since hydrogen does not exist on Earth as a gas, it must be separated from other compounds. Two of the most common methods used for the production of hydrogen are electrolysis or water splitting and steam reforming.

Uses of Hydrogen
Currently, hydrogen is mainly used as a fuel in the NASA space program. Liquid hydrogen is used to propel space shuttle and other rockets, while hydrogen fuel cells power the electrical systems of the shuttle. The hydrogen fuel cell is also used to produce pure water for the shuttle crew.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Fuel cells directly convert the chemical energy in hydrogen to electricity, with pure water and heat as the only by-products. Hydrogen-powered fuel cells are not only pollution-free, but a two- to three-fold increase in the efficiency can be experienced when compared to traditional combustion technologies.