Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production Prototype
EPA Grant Number: SU831892Title: Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production Prototype
Investigators: Roper, D. Keith , Church, Al , Engar, Alex , Wolfsen, Amy , Redd, Amy , Kedrowicz, April , Lane, Bethany , Grimm, Brandon , Bullis, Connie , Forster, Craig , Stubbs, Dan , Schmidt, Daniel , Archer, David , Trujillo, Edward , Dishong, Emily , Palauni, Ezekeial , Montague, Fred , Chavez, Gabe , Ambrosek, James , Drechsel, Jameson , Hacker, Jamie , Wood, Jared , Wiser, Jeanette , Court, Jessica , Baeder, Jill , Moreno, Josh , Corbett, Julia , Stowers, Kara , Martin, Karli , Peterson, Katherine , Sullivan, Katie , Villacorta, Kelly , Excell, Ken , Garrott, Luke , Tuckett, Marge , Welch, Marshall , Korte, Matt , Rexhepa, Megi , Dehaven, Pat , Knowles, Richard , Charles, Spencer , Holbrook, Stan , Henriksen, Tara , Sherman, Todd , Sudweeks, Trina , Chatwin, William
Institution: University of Utah
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: September 30, 2004 through May 30, 2005
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2004) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Nanotechnology , P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
Technical Purpose: Develop a photovoltaic hydrogen production prototype (PHPP) to generate three to thirty liters of hydrogen per day using commercially available components.
Aim 1. Specify & integrate components of a PHPP
Aim 2. Optimize orientation of PHPP photovoltaics relative to incident solar radiation:
Aim 3. Determine required surface area of the PHPP photovoltaic cells:
Aim 4. Optimize PHPP efficiency relative to photovoltaic area requirement:
Educational Purpose: Integrate university and high school educators and students from many disciplines into vibrant cross-functional teams that enthusiastically generate K-12 early college experiences and service learning to engineer hydrogen sustainability in the Salt Lake City community.
Aim 1. Integrate university and high school students into productive teams
Aim 2. Generate understanding and communication of Hydrogen Sustainability
Aim 3. Assess students’ experiences in service learning and engineering design
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Technical: The first modular PHPP system constructed in P3 Phase I by students in ChFEN 4975 produced 3 - 30 liters of H2 per day and required a total capital investment (TCI) of $5,651.00. Students eliminated an anticipated 19 kW per day electrical requirement for the PI-IPP to obtain return on investment (ROI) of 4.2 and a payback period (PBP) of 7.5 years. Twenty-four milliliters of H20 and 260 kJ of solar energy are transformed to 30 liters of H2. Every 30 liters of H2 produced by the PHPP eliminates 15 liters of byproduct C02, relative to steam reforming of methane to generate H2. Energy efficiency of the PHPP is above 60%. Using the PHPP, nonpolluting, sustainable H2 energy equivalent to 1 liter of gasoline is produced from 2.38 liters of water in 14 weeks, using a solar photovoltaic area of 138 cm2 oriented southward at 55° divided by the solar-to-energy efficiency.
Educational: Student teams worked together to design and specify individual components of the PHPP including a solar still, a photovoltaic panel, an electrolytic cell, coalescers, flashback arrestors, recombination catalyst and storage system. Student teams created a Hydrogen Sustainability website in which they evaluated (1) current U.S. energy stocks, sources and sinks; (2) impacts of current U.S. energy policy; (3) application of hydrogen technology; (4) the solar hydrogen economy; and (5) global hydrogen sustainability. Ethnographic observation of students’ classroom experience suggested facilitating communication and teamwork between geographically separated university and high school students using internet-accessible web pages created on WebCT to prepare and submit homework assignments, participate in chat rooms, post supplemental material and post grades. A public relations media kit was prepared containing press releases, brochures, newsletters, feature stories and an in-depth backgrounder on the history and future of hydrogen sustainability. Students participated in lectures and presented results to Utah State legislators, University of Utah students, educators and administrators, including President Michael Young, and media representatives.
Conclusions:
University and high school students collaborated effectively in teams to engineer a modular PHPP to produce 3-30 liters of H2 per day with a total capital investment (TCI) of $5,651.00, to build a website that communicated five aspects of Hydrogen Sustainability to a larger audience, and to develop a public relations media kit. Ethnographic observation of students participation identified two ways to enhance students’ experience: increasing students’ participation in lectures and extracurricular presentations, and facilitating communication and teamwork between geographically separated university and high school students using internet-accessible web pages to prepare and submit homework assignments, participate in chat rooms, and obtain supplemental lecture material. From a technical perspective, eliminating an anticipated 19 kW per day electrical requirement allowed return on investment (ROI) of 4.2% and a payback period (PBP) of 7.5 years. Thirty liters of H2 produced by the PHPP required twenty-four milliliters of distilled H20 and 260 kJ of solar energy, and eliminated 15 liters of byproduct C02, relative to steam reforming of methane to generate H2. Measured energy efficiency above 60% in the PHPP could be improved by enhancing catalytic efficiency at the anode and improving vapor- liquid mass transport at the catalytic surface. The PHPP can produce nonpolluting, sustainable H2 energy equivalent to 1 liter of gasoline from 2.38 liters of water in 14 weeks, using a solar photovoltaic area of 138 cm2 oriented southward at 55° divided by the solar-to-energy efficiency.
Proposed Phase II objectives and strategies:
Objectives:
Aim 1 (Technical, Macro-scale): Increase membrane area of PHPP to generate 30 liters H2 per day. Couple the PHPP to a fuel cell to create a portable source of sustainable energy.
Aim 2 (Technical, Micro-scale): Improve electrolyzer efficiency by (1) evaluating N2 doped titanium dioxide nanoparticle catalyst to replace platinum (2) optimizing vapor-liquid mass transport at the catalytic surface using nickel screen electrodes
Aim 3 (Ethics): Examine short- and long-term ethical frameworks suited to community stakeholders in hydrogen sustainability.
Aim 4 (Ethics): Generate appeals consistent with ethical perspectives of stakeholders to promote hydrogen sustainability.
Aim 5 (Community, Local): Present technical results in context of ethical framework to eight Salt Lake City metropolitan stakeholders in civic, nonprofit, academic and industry sectors.
Aim 6 (Community, Global): Update and organize technical results in context of ethical framework on hydrogen sustainability web site (http://www.che.utah.edulchfen_4975).
Strategies:
Technical: UROP-supported undergraduate researchers will increase electrolyzer capacity, couple electrolyzer to a fuel cell and analyze combined efficiency at 30 liters 112 per day. Students in Chemical Engineering Senior Lab (CI{FEN 4903) will perform complementary experiments and development. A Chemical Engineering-supported graduate assistant will synthesize and evaluate N2-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticle catalyst and optimize vapor- liquid mass transport using nickel screen electrodes.
Ethical: University and high school students in Hydrogen Sustainability Seminar (CHFEN 4975) will examine ethical frameworks and consider short- and long-term ethical ramifications of engineering decisions and processes related to environmental, safety, and economic considerations in seminars led by professors from Philosophy, Biology, Economics and Engineering. Students will identify eight Salt Lake City metropolitan area stakeholders in a prosperous hydrogen economy in civic, nonprofit, academic, industrial sectors and generate an appeal for hydrogen sustainability consistent with each ethical perspective.
Community: University and high school students in Hydrogen Sustainability Seminar (CHFEN 4975) will present technical results for the PHPP-fuel cell energy source in the context of a relevant ethical framework to eight Salt Lake City metropolitan area stakeholders in civic, nonprofit, academic, industrial sectors in a persuasive appeal for hydrogen sustainability. Students will also update and organize technical results in context of ethical framework on hydrogen sustainability web site.
Journal Articles on this Report : 2 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other project views: | All 10 publications | 2 publications in selected types | All 2 journal articles |
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Type | Citation | ||
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Chinchilla, D. “ AMES Joins Search for Alternative Fuel”. The AMES Satellite, 2(1):1 (October 2005). |
SU831892 (Final) |
not available |
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Swenson, P. “Young Doctors, Scientists and Engineers in Love — with Learning”, Continuum, 14(4) 24-29 (Spring 2005). |
SU831892 (Final) |
not available |
Supplemental Keywords:
sustainable development, ecosystem, clean technologies, engineering,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Sustainable Industry/Business, POLLUTION PREVENTION, Sustainable Environment, Energy, Environmental Chemistry, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Environmental Engineering, waste to fuel conversion, agricultural byproducts, animal waste, hydrogen fuels, photoelectrochemical hydrogen production, energy efficiency, energy technology, alternative energy source, renewable energyRelevant Websites:
http://www.che.utah.edu/chfen_4975 Exit
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.