Design, Optimization and Fabrication of a Home Hydrogen Fueling System

One of the main barriers to the widespread adoption of fuel cell vehicles has been the lack of an adequate hydrogen-refueling infrastructure. To mitigate this problem, an affordable, efficient home hydrogen fuelling appliance is needed. Such an appliance would make it easier for the public to adopt the use of hydrogen fueled automobiles. This project will conduct a system-integration study of a home hydrogen refueling appliance based on hydrocarbon reformer. The study will examine and address the infrastructure challenges for a commercial home hydrogen fueling appliance, based on daily refueling of fuel cell vehicles. In Phase I, an optimized system will be designed for an affordable, safe, and energy efficient hydrogen refueling appliance, which will be demonstrated with a proof-of-concept device in Phase II. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: The home hydrogen refueling appliance would be used for daily refueling of fuel cell vehicles. It also could be integrated with a fuel cell to provide backup power for home use in case of emergencies. Also, in addition to stationary power applications, the appliance could be used as a portable source for hydrogen or a portable power source when integrated with a fuel cell.