What is a Fuel Cell? What is all the fuss about? Well… fuel cells can produce electricity, pollution free. Almost zero levels of harmful pollutants from vehicles and power plants. The usual power sources that we are used too produce large amounts of pollutants. The only waste products from a working fuel cell are water and heat.
Fuel cells, like batteries, convert chemical energy into electric power. However, the major difference between batteries and fuel cells, is that, fuel cells do not need recharging; instead they use fuel to produce power as long as the fuel supply is maintained.
The simple Hydrogen fuel cell relies on a basic electrochemical process. The conversion of Hydrogen and Oxygen into water. Through this process electricity is generated. It is this electricity which is then harnessed for power.
The fuel enters the cell and is separated (through catalysis) into component electrons and positive ions. The electrons are moved to an external circuit for use as power (Electricity). The electricity is then returned to the fuel cell and via another catalytic process recombined with the positive ions to form pollutant free byproducts Hydrogen and water.
There are many different types of fuel cells. However they are generally grouped using two criteria. Thier operating temperature and what electrolyte is used in the electrochemical process.
Different fuel cells are better in different situations.
The main ones are:
Polymer exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)
Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)
Alkaline fuel cell (AFC)
Molten-carbonate fuel cell (MCFC)
Phosphoric-acid fuel cell (PAFC)
Direct-methanol fuel cell (DMFC)
The system garnering the most attention is the PEMFC. This is the system you will most likely see in our automobiles. The advantage it has over the other methods is low operating temperatures. Also a high power density, necessary in automobile applications.
January 26th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
shweta