Section outline

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    HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELLS

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    Prof. Marco Bogar

    Office: Building C7, second floor, room C7_2.9

    Phone: 040 558 3801

    E-mail: marco.bogar@dia.units.it

    Receiving: Tuesday, from 10 to 12 and by appointment (it is advised to always send an e-mail in advance)


    Prof. Rodolfo Taccani

    Office: Building C7, second floor, room C7_2.16

    Phone: 040 558 3806  and by appointment

    E-mail: taccani@units.it

    Receiving: Tuesday, from 11 to 13 and by appointment (it is advised to always send an e-mail in advance)


    Class calendar
    Tuesday, 13:15 – 15:00, building C1, "sala atti"

    Friday, 08:30 – 11:00, building B, classroom C

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    Objectives

    By the end of the course the student is expected to have learned the working principles, the main issues, and the technological limitations concerning hydrogen production, storage, and use in the current historical framework.

    The student is further expected to learn the main characterization techniques usable for such a kind of devices and is going to understand how to interpret characterization results, also with the aim of laboratory tests.

    The student is expected to develop the ability to communicate clearly the knowledge to specialist and non-specialist interlocutors, and to carry out the study autonomously.


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    Extended program

    1) INTRODUCTION
    Hydrogen: physical and chemical properties. The role of hydrogen within the energetic transition. Definition of the context within hydrogen can be used as energy vector. Comparison with the alternative fuels, and examples of hydrogen use within companies and within the maritime and port sectors.

    2) ELECTROCHEMISTRY
    Basics of electrochemistry: standards, redox reactions, and chemiphysical processes involved. The electrochemical cell.

    3) HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
    State of the art about the methods of hydrogen production. Green hydrogen production via water electrolysis: electrochemistry and thermodynamics. Electrolysers: operation and classification about the main technologies available. Scaling up from the single cell to a cell stack. State of the art of the industrial and commercial use of electrolysers.

    4) HYDROGEN STORAGE
    Hydrogen compression and liquefaction: thermodynamics and comparison of these two processes and the plants required. Compressed hydrogen storage: tanks composition and classification. Liquid hydrogen storage: tanks composition and classification. Solid hydrogen storage: thermodynamics and classification of the main storing systems via physisorption and chemisorption. State of the art of the industrial and commercial use of the hydrogen storage systems. Liquid organic hydrogen carriers.

    5) FUEL CELLS
    5.1) Electrochemistry and thermodynamics. Analysis of the main functional elements: state of the art and manufacturing techniques. Comparison about the main fuel cell technologies. Fuel cell stacks. Complements of fuel cells: unitised regenerative systems.
    5.2) State of the art of the industrial and commercial use of fuel cells. Fuel cell stacks: balance of plant and plant design. Fuel cell use in cogeneration systems.
    5.3) Degradation phenomena in fuel cell systems: electrochemistry and connection with the operative conditions

    6) ALTERNATIVE HYDROGEN USE
    Direct use of hydrogen within the internal combustion engine and alternative uses of hydrogen.

    7) CHARACTERIZATION OF ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICES
    Classification of the main techniques for electrochemical characterization of fuel cells and electrolysers. Advanced characterization techniques. 

    8) HYDROGEN AND SAFETY
    The main safety issues related to the use of hydrogen as energy vector. Standards of reference.

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    Examination

    During the exam the knowledge of both the theoretical and practical topics discussed during the lessons will be checked.

    The examination will be consisting in an oral exam, typically based on three questions.

    The evaluation will be given ranging in between 0 to 30 points. The exam is considered to be passed with a mark at least equal to 18.

    In agreement with the Students Regulation, Article 27, Statements five and six (Regolamento dello studente, Art. 27, punti 5 e 6):

    • During the examination, the student can withdraw from it at any moment before its end. It is entitled to the student to refuse a positive mark, but it is not allowed to refuse a negative one.

    • The student is entitled to refuse a mark in any moment before its registration.

    • The student is not entitled to repeat the exam in the successive call if he/she has refused a positive mark (within each winter or summer session)

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    Course materials

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    Laboratory activities

    • Safety courses Assignment
      Opened: Monday, 11 March 2024, 12:00 AM
      Due: Thursday, 18 April 2024, 12:00 AM