Looking at the simulation I built, I can describe it accurately from the code.
What the Simulation Shows
Green Hydrogen Production via Water Electrolysis — the process of using renewable electricity to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen gas.
The Process Flow (left → right on desktop, top → bottom on mobile):
- ⚡ Energy Source — animated solar panels (☀️) or wind turbines (💨) or both, representing the renewable electricity input
- 🔬 Electrolyser Cell — the heart of the simulation. Shows three components side by side:
- Cathode (−) in blue — where water is reduced and H₂ gas is produced
- Membrane in the centre — colour-coded by electrolyte type (cyan = PEM, yellow = ALK, purple = AEM), which separates the gases and conducts ions
- Anode (+) in red — where water is oxidised and O₂ gas is produced
- H₂ / O₂ Separators — purify and separate the product gases
- 🛢️ H₂ Storage Tank — shows a live animated fill level and pressure reading in bar, rising as power and stack count increase
- 🚀 End Use — destination for the hydrogen (fuel cells, industry, transport)
Animated Particle Flows:
- 🔵 Blue particles = hydrogen gas moving through the system
- 🔴 Red particles = oxygen gas being vented/used
- 🟢 Green particles = DC electrical power from renewable source to electrolyser
- Particle speed and density respond in real time to the power slider
Four Live Metrics at the Bottom:
| Metric | What it means |
|---|---|
| H₂ Output | kg of hydrogen produced per hour |
| Efficiency | % of input energy converted to hydrogen (LHV basis) |
| CO₂ Saved | kg avoided vs grey hydrogen from fossil gas (SMR) |
| H₂ Cost | Estimated £/kg production cost |
Interactive Controls:
- Power slider (0–100 MW) — simulates varying renewable output
- Stacks slider (1–10) — number of electrolyser stacks running
- Source toggle — Solar / Wind / Both
- Type toggle — PEM (72% efficient) / ALK (65%) / AEM (68%)
Suggested Student Activities
🟢 Beginner
- Drag the power slider to zero — what happens to the particles and H₂ output? What does this tell you about green hydrogen’s dependency on renewable supply?
- Switch between ☀️ Solar and 💨 Wind — observe the source animation change. Which energy source is more consistent in real life?
- Compare PEM vs ALK — switch between them and note the efficiency % change. Which produces more H₂ for the same power input?
🟡 Intermediate
- Maximise output — find the combination of power and stacks that gives the highest H₂ output. Is there a point of diminishing returns?
- Cost vs efficiency trade-off — does increasing stacks always reduce the cost per kg? Explain why or why not.
- Sketch the energy pathway from sunlight → electron → water molecule → H₂ gas, using the simulation as a reference. Label each stage with the energy transfer type (electrical, chemical).
🔴 Advanced / GCSE/A-Level
- Write the half-equations for what happens at each electrode:
- Cathode:
2H⁺ + 2e⁻ → H₂ - Anode:
H₂O → ½O₂ + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ - Overall:
2H₂O → 2H₂ + O₂
- Cathode:
- Calculate theoretical yield — if the simulation shows 75 MW input at 72% efficiency, how many kg of H₂ should be produced per hour? (Hint: 1 kg H₂ ≈ 39.4 kWh LHV — compare your answer to the simulation’s reading)
- Debate question: “Green hydrogen is always better than grey hydrogen.” Use the CO₂ Saved metric and the efficiency reading to construct an evidence-based argument for and against.
- Research extension: What is the difference between PEM, Alkaline, and AEM electrolysis in terms of operating temperature, cost, and scalability? How does the simulation simplify these differences?
These activities align with GCSE Chemistry (electrolysis, energy transfers), GCSE Physics (energy resources, efficiency calculations), and A-Level Chemistry/Physics (electrode reactions, thermodynamics, energy economics).