AMMONIA SHOE-SIZED CAR
This Project is funded by the Vice President for Research at Ohio University

BACKGROUND

Storing hydrogen for fuel-cell powered automobiles is the largest problem disabling fuel cells from becoming commercially available. However, the EERL has developed a method for electrolyzing ammonia to produce energy that requires nearly 95 percent less energy compared to the energy required for water electrolysis; hydrogen is 87.3 percent cheaper for ammonia electrolysis versus water electrolysis. With respect to the storage problem, the hydrogen is made while the car operates…storage is not necessary. Put more clearly, it is hydrogen on demand. This means that solar, wind, and battery power could be used as the source of energy. The research team in this project is working on demonstrating the use of the technology in a shoe-sized ammonia powered automobile.
The figure below shows a prototype of the ammonia shoe-sized powered vehicle. A 1W AEC has been constructed and is being used to generate hydrogen to power a 1W PEM fuel cell stack.

First Prototype of the Ammonia Shoe-sized Powered automobile. The design has been improved. You are welcome to visit our lab to see it run!

Undergraduate Students