Methods for turning hydrogen into energy have been known for over a century, but they are only now starting to reach the consumer markets. In addition to being environmentally friendly, hydrogen power is better in many ways than the conventional variety. This industry has its Russian “champions” as well. “Kommersant”, for instance, has attempted to figure out why anyone would develop this technology in an “energy superpower”.
Hydrogen is the most common element in the universe, and the second most common (by atom count) on the planet. It’s the main component of water, and all living organisms. At the same time, from an engineering standpoint, it is quite capable of replacing refined hydrocarbons as fuel, if properly produced. It has obvious advantages: firstly, its combustion produces water rather than carbon dioxide, which is poisonous, and a “greenhouse” gas. Secondly, hydrogen can be converted to energy more efficiently than either gasoline or diesel. That is why it is frequently used as rocket fuel.
HandyPower’s General Manager, Rinat Nafikov, believes that cell phones could very well use hydrogen as a source of power. He displays a silvery box that looks much like a TV remote control. This is a functional prototype, capable of converting water and aluminum into electricity, to be used for charging electronic gadgets. In summary, the prototype’s operating principle is quite straightforward: cartridges containing water, and a specially treated aluminum powder that reacts with water at room temperature, are placed inside. If you simply drop a piece of aluminum in water, it will become coated in an oxide film, and nothing happens. Researchers have figured out a way to make water break down when it comes into contact with aluminum, producing pure hydrogen. It is fed into a chamber surrounded by proton-exchange membranes. Hydrogen oxidizes on the membranes, generating electrical power, which is converted and applied to a USB port.
Despite the fact that the technology appears futuristic, its foundations were laid way back at the USSR Academy of Sciences Institute for High Temperatures (currently, RAS JIHT). In 2012, the Russian Academy of Sciences Technology Transfer Center (RAS TTC), and ROSNANO, set about marketing the design; and, in 2015, the project was close to production. In Russia, business-minded people tend to believe that the combination of research and development, industry, and government innovation funds, is not economically viable; but, this is a perfect example to the contrary. “We seem to be the first company that has gone the entire innovation route exactly as originally conceived”, chuckles Nafikov. To begin with, RAS TTC and ROSNANO established a startup to work with the idea developed by a RAS Research Institution, followed by a grant from Bortnik’s Fund, seed investments from nanocenters, under the ROSNANO Infrastructure and Educational Program Foundation, further followed in the next round by Skolkovo and entities within the Russian Venture Company. All this resulted in a functioning prototype, which is both usable and esthetically pleasing, as well as environment-friendly.
“Speaking in ecological terms, our project is flawless”, says Nafikov. “We input water and aluminum, and produce cold steam that escapes through pores on the box. The residue in the box is aluminum oxide, which may be used to make sapphire glass for portable electronic gadgets, amongst other things”, he adds. The prototype uses a single cartridge to charge an average smartphone 30-40%, whereas the production version is expected to have a higher energy output. The approximate cost of a cartridge is 30 rubles. Used consumables may simply be discarded; unlike conventional batteries, they break down completely within two or three years, without harming the environment.
According to Nafikov, there are several startups around the world developing similar devices. There is a demand. “Phones, for instance, are becoming increasingly voracious, while the specific properties of batteries remain unchanged. Hence, their capacities must change. Our capacity is 300-400 W per hour per kilo, whereas that of conventional Li-ion batteries is 100-130 W per hour”, he says. A similar German project, which raised $1.5 million in online investments last year, uses lighter refill bottles, instead of removable cartridges.
HandyPower also intends to seek investment and partners internationally, while keeping manufacture local. “The idea is to keep anything which brings a greater value to Russia, local”, notes Nafikov. Manufacturing patriotism is being fed by the economic crisis. Based on company estimates, the wages of electronic assembly workers outside the capital regions are already lower than in China. As far as future sales are concerned, however, the company is still looking towards the international market. The project has already generated some interest among Asian manufacturers of mobile devices. Its advantages were successfully demonstrated at exhibitions in Finland, South Korea, and the US. Russia’s progress is a lot more modest at the moment: large mineral deposits, coupled with a lack of environmental awareness, creates serious challenges for HandyPower in the domestic market.
Despite plentiful resources, the development of hydrogen power in Russia is hindered by a rather backward automotive industry, according to Alexander Ramensky, President of the Russian and Vice-President of the International Association for Hydrogen Power. “Avtovaz is not yet ready to make a vehicle similar to the Toyota Mirai (the first mass-produced hydrogen-powered vehicle),” he pointed out in an interview with Kommersant. Ramensky says that, the fuel conversion factor for hydrogen-powered vehicles is twice that of the conventional ones, i.e. 40-45% vs. 15-20%. At the same time, hydrogen does not burn, but is converted to electricity, which is what moves the vehicle, thereby producing zero pollutants in the process, because the exhaust releases steam.
The Russian Association for Hydrogen Energy considers promoting this type of power as its primary mission. Ramensky has filed 12 government standards which enable, if not the manufacture then, at least, the import of hydrogen-powered vehicles, and the construction of filling stations. “Our objective is to implement a general development strategy for this industry, and the relevant standards throughout the Eurasian Union”, he states. However, Ramensky acknowledges that gasoline-powered vehicles are unlikely to be completely replaced by those running on hydrogen. They are fairly expensive (the hydrogen-powered Mirai costs approx. $70,000), partly because they use platinum catalysts. Nevertheless, these vehicle are competitive in the medium to high-price ranges, and are expected to become more affordable with time.
Experts used to joke that, because of problems associated with production, transportation, and storage, hydrogen was a fuel of the future, and would forever remain so. But, thanks to the efforts put in by business people and researchers, it is slowly but surely making its way to the consumer markets. A few years ago, the development of hydrogen power was helped by high oil prices; but now, environmental concerns, as well as the desire to take advantage of advanced technologies, play a greater part. Despite the fact that Russia is obviously not short of fuels, the export of hydrogen products could become a driver behind an innovation economy. And why not, if it is already being used as rocket fuel?
By Mikhail Korostikov
