Range extender for fuel-cell powered automobiles

That was a reminder to look at this post again.  Incorporated as the seventh part of the series analyzing the Aronsson fuel /cell battery concept.

The idea at that time was to add a range extender as a trailer.  If the trailer could be kept to a small size and weight, it could be an easier idea to implement.  Why have all that equipment if you aren't going to use it all the time?  With this concept, you would only hitch it up when you needed extra range.

Since the time I wrote this post, I found the Aronsson interview on YouTube and learned a few things about his batteries and his fuel cell technology.

It appears that his equipment could meet those requirements of lightweight and size that could make this idea work.

The heaviest component could be the dilute ammonia solution that would serve as fuel for the fuel cell.  In the trailer, the ammonia solution will be de-watered and then cracked into hydrogen and nitrogen.  The nitrogen will be vented into the atmosphere and the hydrogen will be fed into the fuel cell.  The output will be electricity and water.

Previous posts on this idea had a twenty gallon tank weighing in about 300 lbs or so. Let's recap the calculations.  Ammonia's mass is 17 g/mole, which means that 17 kg of the stuff will yield 3 kgs of hydrogen according to its molecular formula NH3.  If it is 10% by weight, then 170 kg will have the 17 kg of ammonia and the 3 kg of hydrogen that we need to run the fuel cell.  That means it weighs 374 lbs not including the tank.

A couple of 5 kilowatt-hour fuel cells would weigh less than 200 lbs, I would guess.  Same for the cracker and de-watering gadget.  The whole she-bang could weigh about a 1000 lbs.  Too much?

This could add about 150 miles to the range of a battery powered car, which would be the base vehicle.  You would only use this trailer if you want to extend the range of your vehicle.  This could make the vehicle more useful to its owner.  The trailer could be owned outright, or rented as needed.  The base vehicle would be all-battery powered.