[en] The present case study is showing that with recent developments in automotive technology, the concept of a hydrogen hybrid electric vehicle with a range of 300 km is feasible. To extend this range, more progress must be made in the batteries and in the gas tanks, as well as in automobile materials and structure to lower the weight of the vehicle. Regarding a possible commercialization of HHEV, the greatest obstacles are: the cost of the fuel, the refueling infrastructure and the public acceptance of hydrogens as the fuel for cars, taking into account some negative perception related to the past history of accidents with hydrogen. Still, the deciding factor in the acceptance of HHEV's might be the society's desire for zero emission vehicles supported by subsidies towards ZEV's from higher taxation of gasoline. One more aspect of hydrogen car should be discussed here. It is the recently, by Chrysler unveiled, new fuel cell car supplied with gasoline which is scheduled for production in 2005. While it is a step in the right direction, several doubts remain: (1) it will be an LEV not a ZEV, (2) it will produce CO₂, contributing to greenhouse effect, (3) it will use a not renewable energy source, and as such it can be considered only as a mid-solution to the environmental and energy crisis. 3 refs

[en] A life cycle inventory analysis has been conducted to assess the environmental load, specifically CO₂ (fossil) emissions and global warming potential (GWP), associated to the production of hydrogen by the steam reforming of hydrocarbon feedstocks (methane and naphtha) and vegetable oils (rapeseed oil, soybean oil and palm oil). Results show that the GWPs associated with the production of hydrogen by steam reforming in a 100 years time frame are 9.71 and 9.46 kg CO₂-equivalent/kg H₂ for natural gas and naphtha, respectively. For vegetable oils, the GWP decreases to 6.42 kg CO₂-equivalent/kg H₂ for rapeseed oil, 4.32 for palm oil and 3.30 for soybean oil. A dominance analysis determined that the part of the process that has the largest effect on the GWP is the steam reforming reaction itself for the fossil fuel-based systems, which accounts for 56.7% and 74% of the total GWP for natural gas and naphtha, respectively. This contribution is zero for vegetable oil-based systems, for which harvesting and oil production are the main sources of CO₂-eq emissions.(author)

No abstract available

[en] It is possible to retrieve a large fraction of soluble waste from the Hanford single-shell waste tanks (SST) by dissolving it with water. This retrieval method will be demonstrated in U-107 and S-112 in the next few years. If saltcake dissolution proves practical and effective, many of the saltcake SSTs may be retrieved by this method. Many of the SSTs retain a large volume of flammable gas that will be released into the tank headspace as the waste dissolves. This report describes the physical processes that control dissolution and gas release. Calculation results are shown describing the headspace hydrogen concentration transient during dissolution. The observed spontaneous and induced gas releases from SSTs is summarized and the dissolution of the crust layer in SY-101 is discussed as a recent example of full-scale dissolution of saltcake containing a very large volume of retained gas. The report concludes that the dissolution rate is self limiting and gas release rates are relatively low

[en] At the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, we have studied the elastic scattering of polarized electrons from hydrogen. The resulting parity-violating electroweak asymmetry is sensitive to the contributions of strange quarks to the nucleon form factors at a level that is of theoretical interest. Using events at a laboratory scattering angle of 12.3^o and (Q²)=0.477 GeV/c, we measure the linear combination of strange form factors (Gⁿ_E) + 0.39G^E_M/(G^py_M/mu_p) = 0.091+/-0.054+/-0.039, where the first error is the quadratic sum of our systematic and statistical errors and the second error is due to uncertainty in nucleon form factors

[en] The goal of the Very High Efficiency Reactor study was to develop and analyze concepts for the next generation of nuclear power reactors. The next generation power reactor should be cost effective compared to current power generation plant, passively safe, and proliferation-resistant. High-temperature reactor systems allow higher electrical generating efficiencies and high-temperature process heat applications, such as thermo-chemical hydrogen production. The study focused on three concepts; one using molten salt coolant with a prismatic fuel-element geometry, the other two using high-pressure helium coolant with a prismatic fuel-element geometry and a fuel-pebble element design. Peak operating temperatures, passive-safety, decay heat removal, criticality, burnup, reactivity coefficients, and material issues were analyzed to determine the technical feasibility of each concept

[en] In future, sustainable energy systems based on renewable energy, environmentally harmless energy carriers, like hydrogen, will be of crucial importance. One of the major impediments for transition to a hydrogen based energy system is the lack of satisfactory hydrogen storage alternatives. Hydrogen storage in nanostructured materials has been proposed as a solution for adequate hydrogen storage for a number of applications, in particular, for transportation. This paper is a preliminary study of the hydrogen storage in zeolites and nanostructured carbon materials. The focus is on physisorption of hydrogen on adsorbents at temperatures from liquid nitrogen temperature up to room temperature. Microporous adsorbents, e.g. zeolites and activated carbons, display appreciable sorption capacities. Based on their micropore volume(∼1 ml/g) carbon-based sorbents display the largest adsorption, over 230 ml (STP)/g, at the prevailing conditions. Optimization ∼560 ml(Sadsorption conditions is expected to lead to adsorption of ∼560 ml(STP)/g, close to targets set for mobile applications. (author)

[en] Fulfilling the increasing energy needs, warranting the supplies and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions represent today's international energy challenges. This short paper shades light on the promises expected from hydrogen, in particular through the development of fuel cells for transportation systems. One challenge concerns the production of 'clean' hydrogen, i.e. in the respect of the sustainable development principles. Two processes are under study: the electrolytic or chemical decomposition of water (using nuclear or renewable energy sources) and the thermochemical decomposition of biomass. (J.S.)

[en] Requirements for storing efficiently alternative gaseous fuels like methane and hydrogen are detailed, and the target to be reached is recalled in each case. The preparation of a suitable material for methane storage by adsorption is described, while systems for densifying hydrogen are reviewed. Engineering problems for filling and emptying adsorptive storage vessels are finally discussed. (authors)

[en] Fuel Cells Canada and the Canadian Hydrogen Association hosted the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells 2004 Conference and Tradeshow in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on September 25-28, 2004. Industry leaders from around the world showcased the latest developments in fuel cell and hydrogen technology, and shared research breakthroughs. The conference focussed on many aspects of hydrogen and fuel cell technology, specifically: hydrogen technology progress, including storage, infrastructure and production; fuel cells, including quality, cost and applications; economics and policy, including government and industry strategies; fuel cell demonstrations, including transportation, micro-fuel cells, and portable power; and, impact on climate change, including health and the Kyoto Accord