Fuel Cells Flywhheels and Hybrids
There are three types of experimental vehicle (EVs) propulsion technologies on thecurrently being tested. Batteries are currently the most popular power source for modernEVs but they are by no means the only available technology. A number of alternatives areunder development and they, too, are well positioned to rival batteries as an effective EVSome of the most recent and exciting news in electric-vehicle development has centeredaround a new power source, called the fuel cell. The fuel cell utilizes a special membrane to generate electricity through the controlledreaction between hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Unlike batteries, which store electricityrather than generate it, fuel cells actually produce electricity through a controlledchemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Inside a fuel cell, the two elements are fed to opposite sides of a porous membrane. Ashydrogen atoms pass through the pores, they are str
This resultsin a negative charge on the membrane's hydrogen side and a positive charge on theoxygen side. Doing so wouldeliminate the dangerous proposition of storing hydrogen onboard an EV beforeconverting it to electricity. Aflywheel generated additional power. In a parallel setup, both power sources drive the wheels. It is also difficult to store and unavailable at local filling stations. Already there has been an example of a hybrid vehicle, albeit extreme: the ChryslerPatriot race car project of the early '90s. In all, the turbines and flywheel produced about one megawatt of energy, whichwas how the Patriot was expected to reach speeds approaching 200 mph. The Patriot used liquefied natural gas to fuel aninternal combustion engine that, in turn, spun two turbines providing electricity. All the electricity was controlled by a computer that both delegated which power source(turbines or flywheel) to draw from and then directed that power to the motor driving thewheels. In a series setup, power from both engine sources is sent to a single additional motor orcontroller that drives the wheels. With this system, theICE need only be large enough to maintain speed, and the energy supply for the electricmotor need not provide long range. Stacking fuel cells in series produces enough power to operate a vehicle. All flywheels,including those presently on vehicle engines, act as sort of mechanical batteries, storingenergy by spinning. Unfortunately, there is a downside to this innovative system-hydrogen is extremelyvolatile.
Common topics in this essay:
Chrysler Corporation,
Flywheels Hybrids,
Chrysler Patriot,
fuel cells,
internal combustion,
power source,
fuel cell,
internal combustion engine,
electricity controlled,
electric motor,
combustion engine,
setup power,
reaction hydrogen oxygen,
turbines flywheel,
reaction hydrogen,
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