The hydrogen economy-and compressed hydrogen

摘要

Increasing political interest in future energy supplies, combined with tightening environmental requirements and strong technology development, is leading to significant international activity in the use of hydrogen as a fuel. Hydrogen can be produced from a wide range of sources, with potentially low environmental consequences. It can be used in both transport and stationary energy applications. Hydrogen is already in some 200 test vehicles and 50 fuelling stations around the world, stored as gas at pressures of between 21 and 70MPa, or in liquid form, and dispensed rapidly into buses and cars. To ensure safety and performance targets can be met, technology developments in all areas are required, including production techniques, storage tanks, piping, valves, gauges, dispenser nozzles and safety and monitoring equipment. While some developments are incremental, entirely new concepts are also being brought into the market, and opportunities arise frequently in providing solutions to new problems. Hydrogen's properties as a very light gas, with small molecules and the potential to embrittle or otherwise react with certain materials, render this area fertile for both research and practical solutions. In the future, the use of hydrogen as fuel may be much more widespread, with concomitant opportunities for industry.