Hydrogen ( liquid form, best fuel and other hidden aspects )

                             


The very first element of the periodic table that was in a dilemma that whether it should be placed with metals or with  non-metals.

Actually some of the properties of the hydrogen gas resembles with metals like -

Its cationic form ( H+) ion is more stable than its anionic form (H-) even though H- obeys octet rule i.e, just like metals it always ready to donate its electron.

Just like metals of group 1 and 2 , it also form several stable compounds with Chalcogens and halogens family like  HCl, HBr, H20, H2S - they all are very popularly known compounds.

It also resembles with alkali metals in valence shell electronic configuration (ns1).



On other side its several properties resembles with the non- metals like -

As chalcogens form compounds with alkali metals (eg- NaCl, KBr etc), hydrogen also do so like NaH, KH etc.

Although H+ is more stable than H- but alike chalcogens ,hydrogen is also ready to accept one electron to get stable.



So while dealing with all these dilemmas , it was decided that hydrogen would be placed on the top of  the periodic table and there it is !

Now let's come out of the periodic table and see how it is in the physical form.

So hydrogen is naturally colourless, tasteless, odourless and harmless gas.

It is the most abundant gas of the universe and approx 75% of the universe' matter is hydrogen gas.

Hydrogen as an element -

Fortunately the biggest application of hydrogen is something that we don't have to be concerned about.

Yes I am talking about water (H2O), the most vital application of hydrogen which we all know  form when hydrogen reacts with water in certain conditions.

But here apart from water there are several other things for which we use hydrogen like-

Haber's Process.

Hydrogenation of unsaturated oil.

Methanol production

Hydrochloric acid production etc.

Although the above mentioned applications of hydrogen is quite appreciable but it is something that most of you have already familiar about. So there's nothing new to take you again into all these.

So here I am going to make you encounter with those facts and detailing of Hydrogen that will surely make you shocked !

Liquid Hydrogen -

You might be familiar with the liquid form of hydrogen as it is found below the critical temperature of hydrogen which is 33 K.

Now this state of hydrogen has something which is quite different from all other liquids !

Density of liquid hydrogen-

Being the lightest element of the periodic table, the density of the hydrogen is the least among liquids known till now.

It is only approx. 71 kg/m3.

Although surface tension also plays role in determining the floating and sinking phenomenons but the surface tension of  hydrogen is so small that it doesn't interrupts in floating and sinking phenomenons.

It means if you even pour water into the liquid hydrogen then the water will sink into it and got into the bottom !

Also any solid or liquid material, whether it is mercury, oil, petrol or even a piece of crumbled paper if place over the surface of liquid hydrogen then it will get sink into it !

Hydrogen Flame - 

In general how you guess the intensity of a flame ?

If you are not close enough to the flame i.e, can't feel the energy it generating then in order to get the idea of intensity of a flame, you look at it .

Like if the height and spreadness of flame is larger then you say that the flame' intensity is higher.

But how you will react if the fuel doesn't produce the flame.

So here we go to the Hydrogen Flame.

When pure hydrogen burns with the pure oxygen then the flame is almost invisible in the sunlight until you are very close to it ( not recommended ).

Actually when hydrogen burns in the presence of pure oxygen then the flame is not radiant enough but if there is some impurity in oxygen like if one uses air instead of pure oxygen then the flame would be visible to some extent.

Hydrogen as a fuel - 

We are using specific kind of fuels for different purposes like -

Petrol and Diesel for automobiles, LPG for household gas cylinders as well as in specified automobiles too.  Kerosene for household stoves, Coal for getting energy in thermal power sectors etc.

Although we are familiar with the two kinds of energy that we are using .

The one is renewable and the other is non-renewable.

We are facing certain problems while using non-renewable resources like fear of their extinction as they are present in limited quantities, polluting environment etc.

Although renewable resources like windmills, solar panels, hydroelectricity etc are eco-friendly , but their efficiency is very less than the non-renewable resources.

Moving towards the energy from hydrogen is really a significant steps because of the following reasons -

High Calorific Value -

We always concerned about extracting the maximum from a limited amount whenever we are dealing with any input-output majors.

So it would really a great deal of having a fuel which will give you more than a significant amount of energy from a very less amount of it .

 So how it is ?

As you know that calorific value of a fuel gives you the energy produced by 1 Kg of that substance when it goes under complete  combustion.

So the thing is that among the different fuels that we are using either we are talking about the liquid ones like diesel, petrol, kerosene oil or the different gases that we are using as a fuel like LPG, CNG, biogas etc the Hydrogen gas has the highest calorific value and i.e, 150 KJ/g.

Calorific Value of 150KJ/g is really an appreciable energy content as it would be the best fuel whose minimum input will give you the maximum energy.

Hydrogen Economy -

Look whatever you use on a large scale , there's need of setting up an industry where you can process the material and bring it into the market or real world.

So whenever we are dealing with the different factors in an industry, we are more concerned about the economics of it.

Like the raw materials that we use shouldn't be very costly so that we will not face any problem in using the raw materials in large amount.

The transport facility shouldn't be difficult enough to hinder in productions.

And the most important one that the extraction of pure raw material should be viable and economic.

All the above factors are compatible with hydrogen

Like the major source of hydrogen is water.Since water is abundant in our planet , so there will not be any difficulty of collecting it.

The second thing is the process of extraction. Actually the method carried out to taken out hydrogen gas from water is called electrolysis. This method is not difficult at all.

Then why this fuel is not significantly available in the market ?

Although there are some companies who made some specified automobiles which runs on hydrogen fuel burn in Internal Combustion engine but apart from being one of the best fuel , it is not widely in use because of one primary concern -

Although the Calorific value of hydrogen gas is largest among the other fuels but the thing is that handling the hydrogen gas is a very difficult task.

For those who have never experienced or saw that how much explosive hydrogen gas can be can get an idea from the example written below -

Hydrogen is so sensitive towards even small sparks like if you made a small leakage in a cylinder containing hydrogen gas and if you just switch on the fan or light of the room then the sparks associated with the switching on the fans/bulbs is sufficient enough to explode the hydrogen gas kept nearby it!