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Brazilian researchers have developed a prototype that can turn ethanol into hydrogen for electric cars. The product is now ready to be launched in the national market.
Brazilian researchers have developed equipment that is about to revolutionize the universe of hydrogen generation through renewable sources. It is a compact chemical reactor called a microreactor. In short, it generates hydrogen shipped from ethanol inside electric cars through a fuel cell and generates energy for the electric motor to work.
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This project is already in scale for use and was developed by researchers from Optimization, Design and Advanced Control Laboratory (LOPCA) from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering at the University of Campinas (FEQ Unicamp).
It is important to note that the prototype, the heart of the system, is only 5 centimeters long. Because of these characteristics, the efficiency and control of reactions are improved when compared to common reactors.
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The microreactor for eletric cars it is a reformer with reduced dimensions, through which ethanol is fed from one side and hydrogen is obtained from the other. The chemical reactions take place in a confined space and bring the benefits of intensifying processes, increasing heat and mass transfers and, therefore, generating high ethanol conversions in a very short time.
Understand how the equipment of Brazilian researchers works
The plates that feature a mesh of microchannels are developed in 3D printing in specific equipment for metal. With the use of additive manufacturing in production processes, it is possible to make use of design and topological optimization software.
The amount of microreactors to move electric cars depends a lot on the specifications. To scale up to the power that is sufficient for the model, it is necessary to multiply the number of reaction modules.
According to the Brazilian researchers, ethanol was chosen because it is a biofuel produced on a large scale in the country, therefore, there is already knowledge of storing and handling this substance.
In addition, there is a national production infrastructure that generates jobs and income. The reduction of pollutant emissions is another advantage. Although reforming ethanol to obtain hydrogen for electric cars can generate a quantity of carbon in the process, this emission can be zero when considering the entire agro-industrial chain.
Project for electric cars can now enter production scale
According to Unicamp Chemical Engineering professor and LOPCA coordinator Rubens Maciel Filho, the technology is ready to be used by owners of electric cars in the Brazilian market.
Brazilian researchers already have full mastery of 3D printing technology in metals, polymers and ceramics and have been working on this subject since the year 2000, so it is already possible to enter industrial production scale.
Still according to Rubens, the manufacturing technology is of worldwide interest and its application to produce Hydrogen from ethanol will certainly arouse interest in several countries that generate ethanol and even in those that do not produce it, but can buy it.
