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Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 20018

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Dr. Ahmad Baroutaji

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Aston Professional Engineering Centre, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
Interests: metamaterials; design optimisation; numerical modelling; crashworthiness; additive manufacturing
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Dear Colleagues

Over the past few years, hydrogen fuel cell has received increased attention as a power source for a wide range of engineering applications, including vehicles, electronic devices, and power stations in residential and industrial buildings.

The design, fabrication process, and materials of different fuel cell components play a key role in the performance, efficiency, and cost of this technology. Additionally, the ways through which hydrogen is produced and stored to be used in fuel cell devices may impact the feasibility of considering this technology for some applications.

Despite the massive breakthrough of this technology in the recent years, there still remain some challenges that limit the wide spread of this technology into new fields.

The theme of this Special Issue is on the most recent developments in the field of hydrogen cell technology covering the following topics:

Innovative materials for fuel cell components;
Design, development, and fabrication of fuel cell devices;
Water and thermal management of fuel cell devices;
Hydrogen production technologies;
Hydrogen storage strategies and materials.

Dr. Ahmad Baroutaji
Guest Editor

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Keywords

fuel cell
PEM
SOFC
hydrogen energy
hydrogen production
hydrogen storage

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 5435 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comprehensive Thermoeconomic Evaluation and Multi-Criteria Optimization of a Combined MCFC/TEG System

by Rahmad Syah, Afshin Davarpanah, Mahyuddin K. M. Nasution, Faisal Amri Tanjung, Meysam Majidi Nezhad and Mehdi Nesaht

Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13187; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313187 - 28 Nov 2021

Viewed by 2082

Abstract

In this study, an integrated molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), thermoelectric generator (TEG), and regenerator energy system has been introduced and evaluated. MCFC generates power and heating load. The exit fuel gases of the MCFC is separated into three sections: the first section is transferred to the TEG to generate more electricity, the next chunk is conducted to a regenerator to boost the productivity of the suggested plant and compensate for the regenerative destructions, and the last section enters the surrounding. Computational simulation and thermodynamic evaluation of the hybrid plant are carried out utilizing MATLAB and HYSYS software, respectively. Furthermore, a thermoeconomic analysis is performed to estimate the total cost of the product and the system cost rate. The offered system is also optimized using multi-criteria genetic algorithm optimization to enhance the exergetic efficiency while reducing the total cost of the product. The power generated by MCFC and TEG is 1247.3 W and 8.37 W, respectively. The result explicates that the provided electricity and provided efficiency of the suggested plant is 1255.67 W and 38%, respectively. Exergy inquiry outcomes betokened that, exergy destruction of the MCFC and TEG is 13,945.9 kW and 262.75 kW, respectively. Furthermore, their exergy efficiency is 68.22% and 97.31%, respectively. The impacts of other parameters like working temperature and pressure, thermal conductance, the configuration of the advantage of the materials, etc., on the thermal and exergetic performance of the suggested system are also evaluated. The optimization outcomes reveal that in the final optimum solution point, the exergetic efficiency and total cost of the product s determined at 70% and 30 USD/GJ. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology)

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11 pages, 1791 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Carbon-Cloth Anode Electroplated with Iron Nanostructure for Microbial Fuel Cell Operated with Real Wastewater

by Enas Taha Sayed, Hussain Alawadhi, Khaled Elsaid, A. G. Olabi, Maryam Adel Almakrani, Shaikha Tamim Bin Tamim, Ghada H. M. Alafranji and Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem

Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6538; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166538 - 13 Aug 2020

Cited by 57 | Viewed by 3773

Abstract

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an emerging method for extracting energy from wastewater. The power generated from such systems is low due to the sluggish electron transfer from the inside of the biocatalyst to the anode surface. One strategy for enhancing the electron transfer rate is anode modification. In this study, iron nanostructure was synthesized on a carbon cloth (CC) via a simple electroplating technique, and later investigated as a bio-anode in an MFC operated with real wastewater. The performance of an MFC with a nano-layer of iron was compared to that using bare CC. The results demonstrated that the open-circuit voltage increased from 600 mV in the case of bare CC to 800 mV in the case of the iron modified CC, showing a 33% increase in OCV. This increase in OCV can be credited to the decrease in the anode potential from 0.16 V vs. Ag/AgCl in the case of bare CC, to −0.01 V vs. Ag/AgCl in the case of the modified CC. The power output in the case of the modified electrode was 80 mW/m²—two times that of the MFC using the bare CC. Furthermore, the steady-state current in the case of the iron modified carbon cloth was two times that of the bare CC electrode. The improved performance was correlated to the enhanced electron transfer between the microorganisms and the iron-plated surface, along with the increase of the anode surface- as confirmed from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the surface morphology, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology)

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16 pages, 2917 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance Improvement of PEM Fuel Cell Using Variable Step-Size Incremental Resistance MPPT Technique

by Hegazy Rezk and Ahmed Fathy

Sustainability 2020, 12(14), 5601; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145601 - 12 Jul 2020

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 3455

Abstract

The output power of a fuel cell mainly depends on the operating conditions such as cell temperature and membrane water content. The fuel cell (FC) power versus FC current graph has a unique maximum power point (MPP). The location of the MPP is variable, depending on the operating condition. Consequently, a maximum power point tracker (MPPT) is highly required to ensure that the fuel cell operates at an MPP to increase its performance. In this research work, a variable step-size incremental resistance (VSS-INR) tracking method was suggested to track the MPP of the proton exchange membrane (PEMFC). Most of MPPT methods used with PEMFC require at least three sensors: temperature sensor, water content sensor, and voltage sensor. However, the proposed VSS-INR needs only two sensors: voltage and current sensors. The step size of the VSS-INR is directly proportional to the error signal. Therefore, the step size will become small as the error becomes very small nearby the maximum power point. Accordingly, the accuracy of the VSS-INR tracking method is high in a steady state. To test and validate the VSS-INR, nine different scenarios of operating conditions, including normal operation, only temperature variation, only variation of water content in the membrane, and both variations of temperature and water content simultaneously, were used. The obtained results were compared with previously proposed methods, including particle swarm optimization (PSO), perturb and observe (P&O), and sliding mode (SM), under different operating conditions. The results of the comparison confirmed the superiority of VSS-INR compared with other methods in terms of the tracking efficiency and steady-state fluctuations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology)

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18 pages, 4429 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A System Engineering Approach Using FMEA and Bayesian Network for Risk Analysis—A Case Study

by Sima Rastayesh, Sajjad Bahrebar, Frede Blaabjerg, Dao Zhou, Huai Wang and John Dalsgaard Sørensen

Sustainability 2020, 12(1), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010077 - 20 Dec 2019

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5484

Abstract

This paper uses a system engineering approach based on the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) methodology to do risk analysis of the power conditioner of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC). Critical components with high risk, common cause failures and effects are identified for the power conditioner system as one of the crucial parts of the PEMFCs used for backup power applications in the telecommunication industry. The results of this paper indicate that the highest risk corresponds to three failure modes including high leakage current due to the substrate interface of the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), current and electrolytic evaporation of capacitor, and thereby short circuit, loss of gate control, and increased leakage current due to gate oxide of the MOSFET. The MOSFETs, capacitors, chokes, and transformers are critical components of the power stage, which should be carefully considered in the development of the design production and implementation stage. Finally, Bayesian networks (BNs) are used to identify the most critical failure causes in the MOSFET and capacitor as they are classified from the FMEA as key items based on their Risk Priority Numbers (RPNs). As a result of BNs analyses, high temperature and overvoltage are distinguished as the most crucial failure causes. Consequently, it is recommended for designers to pay more attention to the design of MOSFETs’ failure due to high leakage current owing to substrate interface, which is caused by high temperature. The results are emphasizing design improvement in the material in order to be more resistant from high temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology)

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Review

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31 pages, 3128 KiB

Open AccessReview

PEMFC Poly-Generation Systems: Developments, Merits, and Challenges

by Ahmad Baroutaji, Arun Arjunan, John Robinson, Tabbi Wilberforce, Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem and Abdul Ghani Olabi

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 11696; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111696 - 22 Oct 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4293

Abstract

Significant research efforts are directed towards finding new ways to reduce the cost, increase efficiency, and decrease the environmental impact of power-generation systems. The poly-generation concept is a promising strategy that enables the development of a sustainable power system. Over the past few years, the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell-based Poly-Generation Systems (PEMFC-PGSs) have received accelerated developments due to the low-temperature operation, high efficiency, and low environmental impact. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the main PEMFC-PGSs, including Combined Heat and Power (CHP) co-generation systems, Combined Cooling and Power (CCP) co-generation systems, Combined Cooling, Heat, and Power (CCHP) tri-generation systems, and Combined Water and Power (CWP) co-generation systems. First, the main technologies used in PEMFC-PGSs, such as those related to hydrogen production, energy storage, and Waste Heat Recovery (WHR), etc., are detailed. Then, the research progresses on the economic, energy, and environmental performance of the different PEMFC-PGSs are presented. Also, the recent commercialization activities on these systems are highlighted focusing on the leading countries in this field. Furthermore, the remaining economic and technical obstacles of these systems along with the future research directions to mitigate them are discussed. The review reveals the potential of the PEMFC-PGS in securing a sustainable future of the power systems. However, many economic and technical issues, particularly those related to high cost and degradation rate, still need to be addressed before unlocking the full benefits of such systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology)

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