Fuel Cells – Alternative Fuels for Automobiles

For the past 5 decades scientists and engineers are thinking about developing alternative technology for I.C engines using different sources of energy. There is no complete breakthrough in the alternate fuel technology. Now everybody is seriously thinking of developing alternate technology for automobile due to ozone layer damage & emission of CO & other gases. Nowadays everyone is talking about green environment. The fuel cell technology is an interesting source of energy. It is offering a very high energy source.

The system consists of 3 fuel cells connected in series plus a turbo blower to supply the cells with air, a humidification & cooling system to manage resurgent gases & a set of auxillary components.

The fuel cell system is housed beneath the floor pan & supplied with hydrogen at a pressure of 1.5 bar from a tank beneath the rear floor pan that holds the gas at 350 bar.

The system is said to be very simple, good performance at low temp & suitable for the production of the light.

The propulsion system was developed with an air delivery system specifically designed to match the requirement of the fuel cell. By designing the air system completely around the fuel cell, the purpose built compressor is claimed to deliver exactly what the fuel system requires across the entire range offering the highest efficiency at lowest cost.

The fuel cells of 60kw through the AC 3-phase asynchronous electric engine & transmission located in the engine delivers 50kmph in 5 seconds and a top speed of 130km.

Commercial Aircraft Engines

Commercial aircraft engines especially used in the Airbus A318, A319, A320 & A321 with a take of thrust ranging from 22000 to 33000 pounds. Commercial aircraft engine consists of 16000 components & having 30 three dimensional aerodynamic design of the blades and vanes throughout the turbomachinary.

It is having “DOUBLE ANNULAR COMBUSTOR” reducing as much as 40% of emmision of Nitrogen Oxides. (Nox) It is having Max climb thrust at 35000 ft – = 0.8 -
Engines length is 102.30 Mt. Fan diameter is 68.30 mt. The commercial aircraft engine is manufactured by GE (US), Snecma, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce.

There are around 7000 Flights powered by these engines which runs into 80 million flight hours. All these commercial flight engines are timely tested for 50000 hours before allowing to commercial flight. There is no engine failure while flying.

All the 16000 components are made to a high standard quality.Standard metallurgy (different composition of metals) and different processes of combining them are also needed. If a single component gives trouble, all the 16,000 components are interlinked & it gives a failure of engine. Everything is properly assemebled, fitted & tested properly. It is a marvellous & wonderful in the modern technological world.