A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts the chemical energy of a fuel and an oxidizing agent into electricity through a pair of redox reactions. The technological status and challenges faced by pem fuel cells toward their commercialization in these applications are described and explained. Fuel cells for dummies the how and why of hydrogen fuel. There are several types of fuel cells currently under development, each with its own advantages, limitations, and potential applications. Merewether abstract fuel cells are important future sources of electrical power and could contribute to a reduction in the amount of petro leum imported by the united states. Although fuel cells and batteries are both considered electrochemical cells and consist of similar structure, fuel cells require a continuous source of fuel and oxygen to run. These characteristics, in turn, affect the applications for which these cells are most suitable. Fuel cell electric vehicle durability and fuel cell. Since publication of the first edition of fuel cell systems explained, three compelling drivers have.
Fuel cells work like batteries, but they do not run down or need recharging. Grove utilized four cells, each containing hydrogen and oxygen, to produce electric power which was then used to split the water in the smaller upper cell. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report. Each fuel cell type also has its own operational characteristics, offering advantages to particular applications. Fuel cell systems explained james larminie, andrew dicks. Department of energy office of fossil energy national energy technology laboratory p. Fuel cell handbook, fourth edition technical report. An introduction to fuel cells and hydrogen technology ogniwa. Fuel cell systems explained, second edition wiley online library.
Hydrogen and fuel cell basics hydrogen and fuel cells nrel. These fuel cells provide all of the electricity as well as drinking water when space shuttle is in flight. Dicks and others published fuel cell systems explained find, read and. But building inexpensive, efficient, reliable fuel cells is a far more complicated business. One electrode called the anode facilitates electrochemical oxidation of fuel, while the other called the cathode promotes. A fuel cell consists of two electrodesa negative electrode or anode and a positive electrode or cathodesandwiched around an electrolyte. Mar 15, 2020 fuel cells are a bit like a cross between an internalcombustion engine and battery power.
Scientists and inventors have designed many different types and sizes of fuel cells in the search for greater efficiency, and the technical details of each kind vary. Building on the success of the first edition fuel cell systems explained presents a balanced introduction to this growing area. They produce electricity and heat as long as fuel is supplied. Growing privatepublic partnerships and reduced environmental impact are other factors anticipated to propel the demand. A fuel cell is two to three times more efficient than an internal combustion engine running on gasoline. Fuel cells are different from most batteries in requiring a continuous source of fuel and oxygen to sustain the chemical reaction, whereas in a battery the chemical energy usually comes from metals and their ions or oxides that are commonly already present in the.
Since there is no combustion, there are none of the pollutants commonly produced by boilers and furnaces. With a fuel cell, chemicals constantly flow into the cell so it never goes dead as long as there is a flow of chemicals into the cell, the electricity flows out of the cell. Each fuel cell is capable of supplying 12 kilowatts continuously, and up to 16 kilowatts for short periods. Fuel cell systems explained james larminie, andrew dicks this second edition reference provides full and updated coverage of fuel cell principles and applications as well as examples of the modeling and design of actual fuel cell systems. Lowtemperature fuel cells constitute an important element in pollutionfree energy conversion. The power plants are fuelled by hydrogen and oxygen from cryogenic tanks and provide both electrical power and drinking water. Fuel cells are generally classified according to the nature of the electrolyte except for direct methanol fuel cells which are named for their ability to use methanol as a fuel, each type requiring particular materials and fuel. An overview of fuel cells currently under development. Fuel cell handbook seventh edition national energy technology. Fuel cells offer higher energy density and higher storage capacity than batteries, and thus a good compactness, which is interesting especially for portable applications. Learn more about the following types of fuel cells. While the fuel cell itself is the key component and an understanding of its features is essential, a practical fuel cell system requires the integration of the stack with fuel processing, heat exchange, power conditioning, and control systems. In this way, its possible to generate hydrogen fuel cell power entirely carbon emission free. Fuel cells by vijay ramani fuel cells are electrochemical devices that directly convert chemical energy to electrical energy.
Materials, technological status, and fundamentals of pem fuel. A fuel cell is an electrochemical device a galvanic cell which converts free energy of a chemical reaction into electrical energy electricity. Fuel flexibility in solid oxide fuel cells also removes the need for the complex and expensive technology required to properly store hydrogen fuel. Oxygen fed to each cathode cathode load hydrogen fed to each anode for reactions in this part, the electrons have to pass all along the face of the electrode electrolyte anode figure 1. The figure includes both in service vehicles and those that have been retired during the evaluation. A fuel cell is a device that generates electrical power through a chemical reaction by converting a fuel hydrogen into electricity. H h o benefits of fuel cells fuel cells generate clean power and can use a range of fuels. They are being used overseas in hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, offices and schools.
In hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen molecules bond with oxygen to produce water. How to build the simplest fuel cell ever the green. It produces 12 kilowatts electricity, and occupies 154 litres. Fuel cells have several benefits over conventional combustionbased technologies currently used in many power plants and passenger vehicles. They consist of an electrolyte medium sandwiched between two electrodes fig.
They are electrochemi cal devices similar to a battery and consist of a container, an. View the hydrogen program video on nrels youtube channel to learn more about the basics of nrels hydrogen and fuel cell research and. Further, the paper looks to introduce both the technical and economic issues facing the introduction of this technology. A fuel cell is a device that generates electricity by a chemical reaction. Every fuel cell has two electrodes called, respectively, the anode and cathode. Fuel cell technology is developing at a rapid pace, thanks to the increasing awareness of the need for pollution free power sources. Change in molar gibbs free energy calculations pages. Fuel cells require relatively pure fuel, free of specific con taminants. The importance of each of these components and their integration is rightly emphasised in suf. When hydrogen is used, the only byproduct is water. For systems designed to consume hydrogen directly, the only products are electricity, water and heat.
Fuel cells 101 a fuel cell vehicles only tailpipe emission is water. Molten carbonate fuel cell mcfc, solid oxide fuel cell sofc are explained, describing advantages. Nrel researchers are working to unlock the potential of hydrogen as a fuel and to advance fuel cell technologies for automobiles, equipment, and buildings. Phosphoric acid fuel cells, using acid as the electrolyte and fuelled by hydrogen gas, are the most commercially developed type of fuel cell. Hydrogen use in vehicles is a major focus of fuel cell research. Pdf fuel cell systems explained second edition tharun. Fuel cells are different from most batteries in requiring a continuous source of fuel and oxygen usually from air to sustain the chemical reaction. But, unlike an engine, a fuel cell doesnt burn the hydrogen.
A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts the chemical energy of a fuel often hydrogen and an oxidizing agent often oxygen into electricity through a pair of redox reactions. A fuel cell is composed of an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane. Nevertheless, with fuel cell technology, no one can rest on their laurels, and the last few years have seen rapid developments in the. For example, the extreme sensitivity of alkali hydroxides to carbon dioxide, co 2, requires that both the fuel and oxidant be free of trace co 2 prior to their introduction into alkali fuel cells. Fundamental issues that are key to fuel cell design, operational control, and material development, such as water and thermal management, dynamic operation, cold start, channel twophase flow, and low. Fuel cells allow independent scaling between power determined by the fuel cell size and capacity determined by the fuel reservoir size. Since publication of the first edition of fuel cell systems explained, three compelling drivers have supported the continuing development of fuel cell technology. Although many groups have stopped working in the field of alkaline fuel cells afcs in recent years. In the1960s, international fuel cells in windsor connecticut developed a fuel cell power. Furthermore, the high operating temperature of sofcs means that these cells invariably generate large quantities of heat.
How hydrogen fuel cells work to power the future anglo. Fuel cells are currently used in a vast array of technologies, and are specifically used in vehicles and aerospace applications. Honda plans to lease approximately 30 fuel cell cars in california and japan during the next several years. Directethanol fuel cells or defcs are a category of fuel cell in which ethanol is fed directly into the cell. Pemfc protonexchange membrane fuel cell, phosphoric acid fuel cell. Moreover, new developments in catalysts and improved reliability have made fuel cells viable candidates in a road range of applications, from small power stations, to cars, to laptop computers and mobile phones. However, the degradation of key fuel cell components is a major challenge when operating at high temperatures. In chapter 12, different fuel cell systems are described, mainly focusing on their operation principles and characteristics, technologies, and fuel supplies. Fuel cells do not need to be periodically recharged like batteries, but instead continue to produce electricity as long as a fuel source is provided. How a fuel cell turns chemical energy into electrical power. A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that converts the chemical. Fuel cells are one of the cleanest and most efficient technologies for generating electricity. Fuel cells are a bit like a cross between an internalcombustion engine and battery power. Mar 14, 2016 download fuel cell systems explained second edition free books.
A fuel cell, on the other hand, uses an external supply of chemical energy and. Fuel cell systems explained, third edition wiley online library. Pdf download fuel cell systems explained second edition download online. Engineering issues like how to cool the fuel cell stack and whether to pressurize the fuel cell are discussed in general terms and the feasibility of certain design options is determined. It takes more energy to produce hydrogen by separating it from other elements in molecules than hydrogen provides when it is converted to useful energy.
Download fuel cell systems explained second edition free. Apr 27, 2008 an easytounderstand but thorough explanation of the chemistry of fuel cells. In chapter, the systematic design of fuel cell hybrid drive trains is introduced. The interest in hydrogen as a transportation fuel is based on its potential for domestic production and use in fuel cells for high efficiency, zeroemission electric vehicles. Fuel cell systems are used for applications such as stationary power units and for transportation, that is, electric vehicles.
Jul 26, 2010 an introduction to hydrogen fuel cells. Similarly, the extreme sensitivity of precious metal electrocatalysts to carbon monoxide, co, necessitates the removal of trace co from the h 2 fuel. Calculations of the change in molar gibbs free energy pages. Vehicular applications of fuel cells are also explained. Dicks and others published fuel cell systems explained find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Molten carbonate fuel cells promise high efficiency and can be powered by coalbased fuels such as carbon monoxide instead of hydrogen gas. A fuel cell by definition is an electrical cell, which unlike storage cells can be continuously. The basic workings of a fuel cell may not be difficult to illustrate. Fuel cell component an overview sciencedirect topics. The reactions that produce electricity take place at the electrodes.
Fuel cell handbook, fourth edition contents disclaimer list of figures list of tables and examples 1. This edition introduces the basic principles of thermodynamics and electrochemical kinetics pertinent to the understanding of fuel. Fuel cell fundamentals provides a thorough introduction to the principles and practicalities behind fuel cell technology. Robust progress has been made in fuel cell technology since the previous edition of the fuel cell handbook was published in january 1994.
Defc uses ethanol in the fuel cell instead of the more toxic methanol. Like an internalcombustion engine, they make power by using fuel from a tank though the fuel is pressurized hydrogen gas rather than gasoline or diesel. Fuel cell systems employ an entirely different approach to the production of electricity than traditional combustion based prime mover technologies. Increasing demand for unconventional sources of energy is one of the key factors driving the growth. Figure 48 irfree electrode performance with o2 and air in 9 n koh at 55 to 60c. Building on the success of the first edition, fuel cell systems explained presents a balanced introduction to this growing area. Change in gibbs free energy at standard temperature and pressure, and with pure. However, hydrogen is useful as an energy source fuel because it has a high energy content per unit of weight, which is why it is used as a rocket fuel and in fuel cells to produce electricity. Grove utilized four cells, each containing hydrogen and oxygen, to produce electric power which was then used to split the water in the smaller upper cell into hydrogen and oxygen.
Vehicles were retired due to performance loss, end of fuel cell life, end of vehicle test, or other catastrophic failure unrelated to the fuel cell. The global fuel cell market size was estimated at usd 10. For example, when table salt nacl is dissolved in water, it dissociates into a sodium. The third edition of fuel cell systems explained is an updated version of a book that has always been essential reading for everyone entering into the fuel cell sector, be they student or industrial practitioner. View table of contents for fuel cell systems explained. Box 880 morgantown, west virginia 265070880 november 2004. Fuel cells are similar to batteries in that they both. Gcse science chemistry 91 triple fuel cells youtube. Fuel cells can operate at higher efficiencies than combustion engines, and can convert the chemical energy in the fuel to electrical energy with efficiencies of up to 60%. An introduction to fuel cell technology and economics. Although this concludes the extent of my research into hydrogen fuel cells for the present, i plan to eventually continue posting to and updating fuel cells for dummies, both to flesh out existing posts and to add findings from ongoing research. Currently, research on developing htpem fuel cells is. To turn hydrogen and oxygen into electricity, every fuel cell needs three components an anode and a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane.
The fuel cell is a power generation device that converts the chemical energy of fuel into electric energy by redox reaction primarily via oxygen or other oxidants. A fuel cell works by passing hydrogen through the anode of a fuel cell and oxygen through the cathode. There will be a real environmental advantage in urban areas when driving electric cars powered by hydrogen or methanol via fuel cells, even if the fuel is produced elsewhere with some pollution as a result. First fuel cellfirst fuel cell 3 in 1839, william grove, a british jurist and amateur physicist, first discovered the principle of the fuel cell. Most fuel cells in use today use hydrogen and oxygen as the chemicals. They have been used as a model to investigate a range of fuel cell concepts including the use of pem. In this video, we learn how fuel cells generate electricity, looking specifically at the hydrogen fuel cell.
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