Developer KPIT-CSIR from Pune developed a hydrogen fuel cell bus, which the union minister of State recently disclosed for Science and Technology, Jitender Singh. This hydrogen fuel cell bus will use hydrogen and air to produce electricity. Other products from the process will be heat and water. The hydrogen fuel cell works by reacting hydrogen and oxygen atoms to produce electricity. These two gases react within an electrochemical cell the same as the conventional battery cell. An electric motor then uses this electricity to move the bus forward.
Hydrogen fuel cell in a brief
According to the US Department of energy, fuel cells function similarly to conventional batteries used in electric vehicles. But Hydrogen fuel cells do not go out of charge, or they do not need to be recharged using electricity. They will keep producing electricity till hydrogen is available. Same as conventional cells, hydrogen fuel cells consist of an anode -ve electrode) and cathode (positive electrode), covering around an electrolyte. Hydrogen is given to the anode, and the air is given to the cathode. Due to a catalyst at the anode, hydrogen molecules separate into electrons and protons, and both subatomic particles move on different paths to the cathode. Electrons move through an external course, producing electricity waves used to run electric motors. On the other side, the protons move towards the cathode to produce heat and water.
Pros of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle
The significant advantage of hydrogen fuel cells is they do not produce gaseous pollutants. Their only output is water and warm air. Another essential advantage is they are comparatively more efficient than combustion engines. Regarding practical usage, hydrogen fuel cells are more valuable than electric vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles need a few minutes to refill hydrogen fuel, whereas electric vehicles take hours to charge their batteries. That’s why hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are more applicable when it comes to public transport.
How it goes with the environment
Both electric vehicles as well as hydrogen fuel vehicles, need fossil fuels for their batteries. Hence, they both produce some amount of gaseous (although they are not pollutants). So, to a certain extent, they both affect the environment by creating gaseous products. But due to renewable energy sources for both electricity and hydrogen, it is possible to regenerate these fuels in the future. Subsequently, when it comes to fuel sources, hydrogen can be generated using wind and solar energy methods.
