UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, July 16, 1997
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In his element: Professor studies fuel cells
KU researcher may inform NASA of his alternative gas system
By Rebecca Osladl
Kansan staff writer
Trung Nguyen's hydrogen-powered golf cart should be zipping around campus soon, but he has bigger plans for his engine. He hopes that his fuel cells will be used in cars within the next 25 years.
Nguyen, assistant professor of chemical and petroleum engineering, and his research assistants Jung Yi, Seoul, South Korea, doctoral student and David Wood, Charlotte, N.C., graduate student, are making advances in proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells. The cells are made of a platinum-coated, ion-conducting membrane sandwiched between two steel plates. The motor runs on hydrogen gas and air.
The fuel cells can be used to power everything from generators to cars.
Each fuel cell contains a given amount of power. Much like regular batteries, the cells can be used together to provide more power.
Although researchers have been working on similar types of systems for about 10 years, Nguyen has found ways to improve the technology. He has miniaturized the fuel-cell parts and created a more efficient design.
Nguyen said he was concerned not only with power and effectiveness of the fuel cells but also the environment. Because the system relies on hydrogen and oxygen gases instead of fossil fuels, it doesn't pollute.
"The United States has to move toward a more high-tech industry," Nguyen said. "Car companies are very reluctant, but they are being forced to change because of environmental problems."
Such research on the development of alternate energy sources has become a global effort.
Nguyen said that motivation to develop alternate fuel systems for automobiles included more than just environmental concerns. He said that other countries such as Germany and Japan were currently developing alternate fuel technologies and that the United States had to keep up with foreign advancements, especially in the car industry.
Nguyen said hydrogen fuel systems have already been used in universal arenas. NASA uses hydrogen-powered engines in the space shuttles.
"I hope to have a prototype to be tested in a golf cart by next summer," Nguyen said. "If the cart works, I hope to attract a lot of interest from possible sources of funding."
If he is successful, he said he plans to contact NASA about his discoveries.
"I still need $10,000 to $20,000 to complete my research," he said.
Nguyen said that this type of technology also needed support from the government.
The funding that Nguyen has received so far has come mostly from grants.
GR Gordon-Ross / KAMSAN
"We should save petroleum to be used for chemical products such as plastics, fibers, chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers, and shift our source of energy to things such as solar energy and regenerative gasses like hydrogen. In 25 years or less I think that the world will switch to this," Nguyen said.
In the future, Nguyen envisions individuals pulling up to hydrogen gas stations.
Trung said automobiles that use fuel cells instead of internal combustion engines would cost consumers between $50,000 and $100,000. However, Nguyen said he hoped the price could be reduced to about $15,000.
Trung Nguyen, assistant professor of chemical and petroleum engineering, works with parts of his proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell. Nguyen has been developing the hydrogen-powered fuel cell, an alternative to the standard combustion engine, since 1994. He said he hoped to put a prototype in a golf cart by next summer.
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