Hydrogen+2

=Hydrogen Fuel=

Definition
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Hydrogen is not an energy source in and of itself. It works as an energy carrier. The energy that is created when water molecules are split is actually the energy that is used to power vehicles.

Source of Hydrogen Fuel
Hydrogen is used as fuel through one of two methods, electrolysis or steam reforming. Electrolysis is a method of getting hydrogen by isolating it within water. Because water is two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, if you can remove the oxygen, you have hydrogen. Steam reforming is another method of getting hydrogen. Steam reforming is the same process applied to hydrocarbons known as methane, which is made from four parts hydrogen and one part carbon. However, the act of burning carbon is the cause of greenhouse gases and global warming.

How is this source used to make fuel?
Hydrogen is then stored, and put into fuel cells inside the machine it is powering. Once it is in the fuel cell, the hydrogen acts as a catalyst for the anode/cathode reaction inside the hydrogen fuel cell. The energy from the reaction is used to power the machine.

Equipment Needed[[image:IntHydrogen2.jpg width="259" height="257" align="right"]]
In order to convert the raw hydrogen into energy that can be used for fuel, you must first isolate the hydrogen using either electrolysis of steam reforming. After that is done, you store the hydrogen so that is can be pumped into an object known as a ‘fuel cell’. A fuel cell is a type of battery that generates energy from the chemical reaction between the negatively charged anode and the positively charged cathode. The fuel cell runs on hydrogen and is the source of energy for whatever the hydrogen is fueling.

Where is Hydrogen Fuel Used?[[image:hydro.jpg width="448" height="301" align="right" caption="A Hydrogen Refilling Station"]]
There are cars being made that run on hydrogen fuel cells, such as the BMW Hydrogen 7 and the Honda FCX. There are also fuel cell ‘refilling stations’ all over the US and the world. There are 63 hydrogen refilling stations in the US today.

Advantages

 * 1) Hydrogen fuel cells produce a lot of energy per fuel cell, requiring fewer ‘fill-ups’.
 * 2) Unlike many other fuels, it is possible to use hydrogen fuel cells to power everything from laptop batteries to cars and trucks.

Disadvantages

 * 1) The method used to retrieve hydrogen from other sources may be harmful to the environment.
 * 2) It is very expensive to retrieve hydrogen safely without any pollution. It is far cheaper to take it from methane, thus putting carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Unusual Facts I learned
That despite the multitudes of benefits present in hydrogen fuel cells, it is still possible to pollute the earth with this method. Also, the harmful type of hydrogen retrieval is a lot cheaper to manufacture than the not-harmful method.