Discover Discover the energy the energy of hydrogen of hydrogen
Andrzej Karbowski
ZDF UMK Toruń Fuel Cell Car
Fuel Cell Car
The Horizon Fuel Cell Car (FCJJ-11) is an active demonstration of how hydrogen can be stored and utilized for power generation. Using the PEM fuel cell provided with the kit, hydrogen can be produced and stored to power the car and operate the lights and the Intelligent Fuel Cell Car
automatically turns when the car hits a barrier.
Hydrogen powered car
Preparing the Fuel Cell
1. Put one 5 cm long tube on the end of the syringe as shown below.
2. Suck up some distilled water and push it into the fuel cell by the nozzle which is the closest from the red plug of oxygen side of the fuel cell.
Please, be sure of using the distilled water. Some fuel cells „survive” presence of
contaminations in the supplied fuel and/or in the electrolyte: nafion-based cells - hardly
Hydrogen powered car
Warning
The polymer membrane of the oxygen side is an important part of the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, it should be prevented from the drying out.
3. Connect the other 5 cm long plastic tube to the opposite nozzle (closest to the black plug) and add the red and black seals on each remaining end.
Hydrogen powered car
4. Attach the water tank to the tank base on the car frame by pressing downward into round slots and twisting into place. Place inner gas tanks into outer water tanks minding that the gaps are not blocked by inner plastic nims.
Hydrogen powered car
5. Fill the containers with the distilled water
Hydrogen powered car
6. Fit the reversible fuel cell onto the car frame, just in front of the containers and make sure the red plug is located on the O2 container side.
7. Connect the two 20 cm long tubes onto the top nozzles of the inner gas tanks, connect the
tubes opposite end to the lower nozzles located on the lower position of both H2 and O2 side of the fuel cell. Make sure the tubes are connected correctly to the corresponding sides of the fuel cell.
Note that the H2 and O2 side of the fuel cell look differently: different catalysts are
probably used (thiis is the technology secret)
Hydrogen powered car
Create your fuel with water electrolysis and power the car
1. Connect the battery pack to the fuel cell and turn on battery or connect solar panel to the fuel cell. You will see the inner gas tank will be filled by gas. You will also notice that the O2 volume will be two times lower than the hydrogen one: clear, water molecule is made with one atom of oxygen and two atoms of hydrogen.
Count the time needed to obtain a certain amount of H2. Then, move the car to twice as much the distance from the light source (or cover half of the panel if you are using sun light).
You can make experiments using different light sources and different filters.
Draw some conclusions.
Hydrogen powered car
2. Then, connect the engine wires to the closest red and black plugs.
3. Using the two remaining wires, connect the fuel cell to the car frame. Make sure you respect the polarity shown by the color code. The car will run until there is no more hydrogen in the inner gas tank. Mark this time and, using the enthalpy of H2O formation, evaluate the power delivered to the system (fuel cell + engine).
In order to evaluate the efficiency of the system, incline slightly the table on which the car runs, until it is not able to climb any more. Please, measure in approximate way the velocity of the climbing (as long as this velocity is constant).
Evaluate, roughly, the power consumed during the climbing (you need to weight the car to do this).
Do not hesitate to write us with questions!
The Horizon Fuel Cell Car (FCJJ-11)
A film illustrating how to operate the car can be found on our website:
http://dydaktyka.fizyka.umk.pl/nowa_strona/?q=node/854
The car can be bought for example in an online store:
https://www.conrad.com/p/fuel-cell-vehicle-horizon-hydrocar-fcjj-11-fcjj-11-12-years-and-over- 198062
Price 72 EUR
For other types of fuel cell models see our: FCHgo_4_Biblio.ppt file
Dr Andrzej Karbowski ZDF UMK Toruń
