HYDROGEN HOUSE
!ndie Architecture
contributors: paul andersen ashley mendelsohn jason king jonathan riley
Hydrogen House is a multiscalar proposal for new suburban house types, resource management strategies, and economic models. Advocating a shift from a corporate fuel system to a local one, the project uses hydrogen fuel cells as the basis for linking the design of domestic environments to larger ambitions for suburban development. Because hydrogen fuel can be manufactured in the home and used to power both houses and cars, it is a viable and politically intriguing alternative to oil. The ability to make and sell fuel on site enables the suburban home to entrepreneurially participate in an emerging energy economy (10 major car manufacturers have hydrogen fuel cell cars in produc tion). HF does not require the heav y, multinational infrastruc ture needed to produce and distribute gasoline—it can be made in small quantities by individuals and small collectives. It enables a shift from corporate to local, from centralized to dispersed. The average size of the suburban home has doubled since 1960 and the area dedicated to storage has increased from an average of 11% to 19%. As storage becomes more central, it is also becoming more diverse and specific. Thick exterior walls store a variety of materials—including food, clothes, appliances, mechanical systems, books, and water—conditioning adjacent living areas and leaving the plan open. The sprawling house prototypes receive natural light from above and through glass lined courtyards. Fu r t h e r r e d u c i n g t h e n e e d f o r i n t e r i o r p a r t i t i o n i n g i s t h e p l a n ’s c u r v i l i n e a r g e o m e t r y, which shortens sight lines and results in a number of hidden interior pockets. That same geometry at the exterior matches the turning radii of cars, allowing them to pull into hydrogen fuel stations located beneath the courtyards. Clusters of houses share landscape features such as hydrogen fuel stations, large lawns, and swimming pools to various degrees. In some cases all resources are individually owned, in others they are fully shared, and there are many hybrids in between. Unconventional relationships between lots and houses (it is not always one house per lot) anticipate the formation of social, aesthetic, and economic communities within a neighborhood. Unlike modernist suburban proposals, which tended to be large and universally consistent in style and organization, Hydrogen House collectives oppor tunistically develop in small pockets throughout the city. Recognizing that suburbia is at its best when it is heterogeneous, they introduce aesthetic variety to existing neighborhoods while simultaneously expanding the available catalog of house types (courtyard, semi-courtyard, multiple houses per lot, detached from street, etc.). By integrating new house forms and types with an alternative economic model for fuel production, the project identifies potential benefits of dispersed suburban development.
Hydrogen Fuel Production Hydrogen doesn’t exist on Earth as a gas, so it must be separated from other elements. Hydrogen atoms can be separated from water, biomass, or natural gas molecules. The two most common methods for producing hydrogen are steam reforming and electrolysis (water splitting). Hydrogen can be produced at large central facilities or at small plants for local use.
Steam Reforming Steam reforming is currently the least expensive method of producing hydrogen and accounts for about 95% of the hydrogen produced in the United States. This method is used in industries to separate hydrogen atoms from carbon atoms in methane (CH4). But the steam reforming process results in greenhouse gas emissions that are linked with global warming.
Natural Gas (CH4) enters the reformer Steam (H2O) is mixed with natural gas
Heat breaks apart the molecules Hydrogen and Carbon Dioxide are formed
End result hydrogen Scrubber removes the CO2 CO2
Electrolysis Electrolysis is a process that splits hydrogen from water. It results in no emissions, but it is currently an expensive process. New technologies are currently being developed.
Oxygen cathode
Sources of Electricity
anode
Hydrogen
Electricity enters the anode and cathode submerged in water
Power grid
Wind Turbines
Solar Panels
ox oxygen bubbles
hydroge hydrogen bubbles
The charge breaks the water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen End Result_hydrogen
Hydroelectric Power
water molecules
Wastewater Environmental engineers at Pennsylvania State University developed a fuel cell that runs on wastewater.
Water/ Heat
Hydrogen
Oxygen FUEL CELL
Hydrogen Fuel Availability
Today there are 63 private and public hydrogen refueling stations in the United States, about half of which are located in California. About 9 million metric tons of hydrogen are produced in the United States annually, enough to power 20-30 million cars or 5-8 million homes. Most of this hydrogen is produced in three States: California, Louisiana, and Texas
Hydrogen Fuel in Cars
Hydrogen fuelfuel flows Hydrogen
into the anode anode
Electrical Current
movement Themovement The of of electrons generates electrons generates electricity electricityto topower power the the moter moter O2 Hydrogen
H 2O
Oxygen flows into the cathode, where where ititcombines combines with hydrogen to produce with hydrogen to produce water, which is emitted water , which is emitted from the vehicle from the vehicle
Cathode_positive electrode Cathode positive electrode PEM_Proton exchange PEM Proton exchange membrane membrane Anode_Negative Electrode Anode Negative Electrode
Hydrogen Fuel in Cars
fuel cells are 2 to 3 times as efficient as internal combustion engines
The power control unit distributes electricty throughout the vehicle including the motor.
power control unit
H2 tank
motor
H2 tank
Fuel Cell electricity
exhaust
hydrogen
water
Hydrogen Fuel Stations Super-thermos storage tanks keep Super-thermos liquid hydrogen a storage tanksatkeep cryogenic temperature liquid hydrogen at a
cryogenic temperature A pump pulls the liquid frompulls the tank A pump the and compresses it liquid from the tank and exchangers compresses warm it Heat the hydrogen and convert itHeat to a gaseous state exchangers warm the hydrogen and covert it into a gaseous state High pressure tanks hold the gaseous hydrogen Higha pressure until vehicle needs fuel tanks hold the gaseous hydrogen until a vehicle needs fuel A dispenser regulates hydrogen flow into A dispenser vehicle tanks regulated hydrogen
On-site Production
Compressor compacts the hydrogen molecules
High pressure tanks safely store the hydrogen until it is needed for fuel
Dispenser regulates hydrogen flow to vehicle tanks
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles There are an estimated 200 to 300 hydrogen-fueled vehicles in the United States. Most of these vehicles are buses and automobiles powered by electric motors.
HYUNDAI _Tucson FCEV
GENERAL MOTORS _ HydroGen3
TOYOTA FCHV
HONDA'S FCX
The FORD EDGE _with HYSERIES DRIVE
GENERAL MOTORS _Equinox Fuel Cell
THE DAIMLER "F-Cell" FCV
NISSAN_R&D
VOLKSWAGEN _ Touran HyMotion
Te c h n o l o g i c a l F l e x i b i l i t y Surplus energy from the grid (either renewable or traditional) can be used to create and store hydrogen for use in an efficient fuel cell system
GRID
LOAD
charge electrolyzer
H2
discharge
hydride storage
WATER
H2 fuel cell
Local Fuel Production and Distribution Hydrogen fuel is produced by electrolysis, with electricity provided by any number of sources, from natural gas to renewables. The hydrogen fuel cell storage within the envelope of the house functions both to f u e l t h e h o m e o w n e r ’s c a r a n d a l s o t o h e a t a n d p o w e r t h e h o m e .
solar renewable source
O2
electricity water
generation/ compression module
transportation fueling
H2
storage/ dispensing module
H2
HOME energy station
power module
distributed power
Multinational Oil Infrastructure Gasoline requires a multinational production and distribution infrastructure. The oil sector of the global economy is centralized: it is managed by large corporations.
petroleum is pumped out of the ground sup er tankers transpor t the oil to the united states crude oil is processed at a refinery and trucked across the country gasoline is sold at a gas station
Oil Drilling Drilling for oil is a long process that involves several stages. Once the oil is located and the site is prepared, a process of drilling and pouring cement occurs until a well is formed for the oil to flow into. derrick
blowout prevention
t u r n t a b le engines turn turntabl e
casing drill strin g
elec tric generator bi t
mud and casings
Oil Extraction After the rig is removed, crude oil (petroleum) is pumped out of the ground.
counte r balance moto r
gear box po l i s h ro d wellhead
casing tubing
sucker rod cement
pump
oil sand
Oil Refining Crude oil is a mixture of hundreds of hydrocarbons. Oil refining separates the components of petroleum so that it can be used for a number of applications, such as fuel for vehicles
20˚c 40˚c 70˚c 120˚c crude oil
chemicals gasoline for vehicles heating and lighting
200˚c
diesel fuels oils, waxes, polishes
300˚c 600˚c boiler
distillation column
fuel for ships, factories and central heating bitumen for roads
Oil Production and Distribution The United States consumes over 20 million barrels (840 million gallons) of petroleum produc ts each day, almost half of which is in the form of gasoline. 200 million American motor vehicles travel a combined 7 billion miles daily.
i m p or te d c r u de o il tank e r or barg e
tank e r tru ck
d om e s t i c c r ude o il
p ip el ine st o rag e
common pipelin e
bulk terminal s torage tank e r tru ck
tank e r tru ck tank e r or barg e
i m p or te d c r u de o il
Hydrogen Fuel Cost
The Cost of Hydrogen depends on its method of production. Currently the price per kilogram of Hydrogen ranges from $4 to $12. This price will drastically decrease with the implementation of larger scale production.
Natural Gas
Sources of Electricity
$4-$5 per kilograms of H2
Wind Turbines
$8-$10
Solar Panels
$10-$12
Nuclear energy
$7.50-$9.50
$
Domestic Energy Use Single family homes in the US consume more energy than any other type of residence.
15 %
80 % single family home
multi-family dwellings
5% mobilehomes
Tra n s p o r t at i o n E n e rg y Us e Automobiles in the US consume more energy than any other type of transportation vehicle.
3% trains
The energy usage of automobiles and single family homes is an emerging market. Creating an economic model that re-evaluates these energy systems is the ideal way to create drastic change.
4% construction
5% boats 9%
16%
aircraft
other trucks
28% light trucks 32% automobiles
Environmental Benefits
If just
10 % of cars used fuel cells...
If just 10% of cars used fuel cells...
Ooil i l imports i m p o rwould t s w obe u cut l d 800,000 b e c u tbarrels 8 0 0 , every 0 0 0 day barrels ever y day. 6 60 0 m i l l i otons n t oofngreenhouse s o f g r e egases n h o would u s e million be eliminated gases would be eliminated. Aair i r pollutants p o l l u t a would n t s wbe o ucut l dbyb 1e million c u t btons y 1 per year m i l l i o n t o n s p e r ye a r.
* p r o j e c t e d b y The U.S. Department of Energy
Local Fuel Economy E c o n o m y . L o c a l F u e l E ffi c i e n y
vs $ 1a n ,n u0a l l5y 2
$a n6n u5a l l 9 y
[25 miles per gallon]
[68.3 miles per kilogram]
10,000 miles รท 25 mpg x $2.61 (per gallon)
10,000 miles รท 68.3 mpkg x $4.50 (per kilogram)
B a s e d o n d r i v i n g 1 0 , 0 0 0 m i l e s p e r y e a r i n a To y o t a C a m r y o r N i s s a n Altima, the average motorist would save $393 by choosing the more e ffi c i e n t h y d r o g e n f u e l p o w e r e d v e h i c l e .
scenario 1: Owner Use
The homeowner utilizes the hydrogen fuel cell energy that powers their home to fuel their vehicle. They will save at least $393 annually which will eventually compensate and surpass their original investment
scenario 2: Commercial Use
The homeowner sells fuel to fuel cell car owners in the community. If six neighbors were to purchase 60% of their fuel f ro m t h i s l o c a l p ro v i d e r, t h e homeowner would collect approximately $2,400 annually which,in addition to their personal savings would begin to pay off their initialinvestment within 3-5 years.
scenario 3: Consumer Use
A fuel cell vehicle owner purchases fuel locally from a n e i g h b o r. Annual savings of approximately $390
scenario 4: Entrepreneurial use. Homeowner runs a business selling hydrogen fuel to fuel cell car owners throughout the city. This is par ticularly lucrative in the short term due to the limited availability of hydrogen fuel and subsidies from automakers with HFC vehicles in production. A 6 block neighborhood with 15 houses per block and 1.5 cars per household, purchasing 60% of their fuel locally, would net $53,325 annually.
Local Fuel Infrastructure
hydrogen fuel is produced in the home and distr ibuted locally pockets of HF consumers develop within existing neighbor hoods
Storage Envelope
The average size of the suburban home has doubled since 1960 and the area dedicated to storage has increased from an average of 11% to 19%. As storage becomes more central, it is also becoming more diverse and specific. The exterior walls of this house contain customizable storage modules for a variety of materials including c l o t h i n g, fo o d, b o o k s, w a t e r, a i r d u c t s, a n d hyd ro g e n f u e l t h a t p o we r s t h e h o u e a n d c a r.
radi a nt heat p i p e
radi a nt heat p i p e
Mechanical Envelope
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The walls of the house are lined with integrated shelving, lighting, and radiant heat systems that condition t h e i n t e r i o r. T h e w a l l p a t t e r n , w h i c h combines these systems, is reiterated in the massing of the houses and street configurations. At each scale it adapts to functional, typological, and formal demands.
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