Kia to test fuel cells with neutron imaging to optimize air/fuel ratio
While the hydrogen fuel cell news has been relatively quiet of late, that doesn't mean that fuel cell work has stopped. Kia (along with corporate partners Hyundai), for example, has been actively developing the technology. On the Kia Buzz blog today, Hyun Jin Cho of the company's Sustainability Management Team discusses one of the latest steps in the process. Kia is partnering with the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute to use neutron radiography to look inside running fuel cells. Managing the air/hydrogen mixing ratio and flow of water out of the stack are key to optimizing the efficiency of the system. If water is not evacuated quickly enough or if too much air or hydrogen is injected, the efficiency drops off. The neutron imaging system will allow Kia engineers to see where the water is inside the stack so that flow patterns can be adjusted. Similar systems have been used in the United States and Europe in the past.
[Source: Kia]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gorr 5:01PM (12/15/2008)
Me too i will like to have one of these neutron imagime machine to check the brain of these lazy car engineers when they work. The problem with fuelcell is mainly the refueling infrastructure and second the high cost of changing almost all the car technology before offering it to customers. I said to put a water electrolyser in a conventional ice car and sell it to me at least...
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paulwesterberg 6:13PM (12/15/2008)
fuel cell maximum theoretical efficiency: 83%
typical fuel cell efficiency is 50%
Lithium-ion battery charge/discharge efficiency is already 99% efficient.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium-ion_battery
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Jay 3:24AM (12/18/2008)
westerberg was right..50% efficiency is typical.. however because the drive is an electric motor, much of the net advantage can show uo through regenerative braking.. Improved engine design may elevate gross gasoline and diesel efficiencies up toward 40% but the eventual decline of fossil fuels will propel us into and economy based on efficient and non fossil fuel electricity some of the world will probably use coal but even that has a limited reserve.. Rechargeable batteries appear to be the dominant mode for transportation.. the jury is out on how much of the non fossil fuel electricity will acually be nuclear..the US seems bent on dragging its heels on nuclear..we still have a Hiroshima-Nagasaki guilt complex
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