Entry requirements

120 credits natural sciences/technology including 5 credits chemistry.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• account for different methods to generate hydrogen gas with advanced knowledge of hydrogen gas from solar energy, and discuss hydrogen gas as energy carrier from a life cycle assessment perspectiv
• account for the physical principles of hydrogen gas production in molecular systems, especially electron transport and redox processes in molecular catalysts
• account for different ways to store hydrogen gas with advanced knowledge of metal hydrides
• account for different supercapacitors, batteries and fuel cells with advanced knowledge about energy relevant materials
• account for the relationship between battery performance and materials properties, particularly for Li ion batteries
• discuss the applicability of energy storage techniques in the different areas of the energy system, and account for advantages and disadvantages of different energy storage systems with respect to application
• do a mathematical simulation of a fuel cell in MATLAB
• discuss hydrogen gas as an energy carrier and its technical, economical and social consequences in a future energy system.

Content

Overall:

Hydrogen gas as anenergy carriers.

The hydrogen society. The challenges of the transport sector.

Sustainable application of technological:

Life-cycle assessment of hydrogen gas, and fuel cells

Production and storage of hydrogen

Different methods to generate hydrogen gas. Hydrogen gas as renewable energy carrier. Deeper knowledge of hydrogen gas from solar energy and water. Different methods to store hydrogen gas. Deeper knowledge of metal hydrides. Short and long term applications.

Batteries and fuel cells

Chemistry and function of the common secondary battery systems, especially the Li ion battery. Supercapacitors. Different types of fuel cells. Deeper knowledge of energy relevant materials and electrochemical energy transformation. Modelling of electrochemical transformation. Future and present functions in the energy system, in particular in the transport sector. Engineering aspects of the use of reacharable batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells in different areas.

Contacts with public authorities and companies within the energy and the transport sector.

Instruction

Lectures, laboratory work, demonstrations and seminars.

Assessment

Written examination is organised at the end of the course and corresponds to 6 credits. Laboratory sessions and the seminars and discussions correspond to 4 credits. To pass final grades it is required that all parts have been assessed passed. The final school grades correspond to a joining of the results of the included parts.