Lecture # 9

Week 5
Fuel cells
Chapter no.2
Alternative Energy systems

Ms. Arjumand Samad

1
• What is fuel cell?
• A Fuel cell is a electrochemical device that converts
chemical energy into electrical energy
• Combination of internal combustion engine and battery
• More efficient than combustion, due to higher energy
grade
• In all types of fuel cell, hydrogen is used as fuel and can
be obtained from any source of hydrocarbon.
• Every fuel cell has two electrodes, one positive and one
negative, called respectively, the cathode and anode.
The reactions that produce electricity take place at the
electrodes
• The fuel cell transform hydrogen and oxygen into
electric power, emitting water as their only waste
product. Ms. Arjumand Samad 2
A brief History

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 Also related

• In 1766 Henery Cavendish discovered

hydrogen.
• 1950-G.E invented the 1st PEM fule cell
• 1960-NASA used this technology in space
craft
• 1990-Used in many commercial
applications
• 20200- Millions of FC Cars used in the
world.
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Fuel Cell Milestones

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• Normal process:
• Fuel +oxygen ----→combustion products+ heat

• Fuel cell process:

• Fuel +oxygen ----→oxidation process +electricity

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Advantages over conventional
energy sources
• Diminishing fossil fuels.
• They produce zero or very low emissions, especially
Green House Gases (GHGs) depending on the fuel used.
• Fuel cell systems operate without pollution.
• Have few moving parts and thus require minimal
maintenance, reducing life cycle costs of energy
production.
• Modular in design, offering flexibility in size and
efficiencies in manufacturing
• Can be utilized for combined heat and power purposes,
further increasing the efficiency of energy production
• Water is the only discharge (pure H2)
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• Increase in transportation sector
• Recharge: Fuel cell systems do not require
recharging.
• High power density: A high power density allows
fuel cells to be relatively compact source of
electric power, beneficial in application with space
constraints
• Fuel cells can be sited near point of use
• Quiet operation: Fuel cells can be used in
residential or built-up areas
• High efficiency means low CO2

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• Hydrogen constitutes 75%of the earth composition.
• Kyoto protocol
• Small size and compactness
• Low emissions of other pollutants.
• High efficiency , aprox. 40 to 55%
• Allows direct use of waste heat - effective efficiency
> 80% (CHP)

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 Fuel Cell Problems
• Cost of a new technology is always high initially .Until high-
volume manufacturing brings cost down
• Fuels for fuel cells
• Most fuel cells use only pure hydrogen fuel.
• Not available in large quantities to store, transport,
transfer, etc.
• Usually linked with the “Hydrogen Economy”
• Often chemically convert other fuels to hydrogen
• Highly explosive
• Cost
• Existing infrastructure and techniques insufficient and
inadequate.
• Fuel cells themselves may be only 25% of total system cost
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Water management: It is not at all self-evident
why water management should be such an
important and difficult issue with automotive fuel
cells.
• Fuel cell require particular pressure and
humidity.
• Only 4% of hydrogen is achieved by
electrolysis.
• Technology is complex and unfamiliar.
• Hydrogen often created using “dirty” energy
• Pure hydrogen is difficult to handle
• Refilling stations, storage tanks.
• 285(2015) till now, would reach nearly 5,000 by 2032
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A fuel cell configuration
• A fuel cell consists of two
electrodes namely an anode
and a cathode and
sandwiched around an
electrolyte.
• An electrolyte is a substance,
solid or liquid, capable of
conducting moving ions from
one electrode to other.

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Parts of a Fuel Cell
• Anode
• Negative post of the fuel cell.
• Conducts the electrons that are freed from the hydrogen
molecules so that they can be used in an external circuit.
• Etched channels disperse hydrogen gas over the surface
of catalyst.
• Cathode
• Positive post of the fuel cell
• Etched channels distribute oxygen to the surface of the
catalyst.
• Conducts electrons back from the external circuit to the
catalyst
• Recombine with the hydrogen ions and oxygen to form
water. Ms. Arjumand Samad 16
• Electrolyte
• Proton exchange membrane.
• Specially treated material, only conducts positively
charged ions.
• Membrane blocks electrons.
• Catalyst
• Special material that facilitates reaction of oxygen and
hydrogen
• Usually platinum powder very thinly coated onto carbon
paper or cloth.
• Rough & porous maximizes surface area exposed to
hydrogen or oxygen
• The platinum-coated side of the catalyst faces the PEM

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A single fuel cell produces roughly 0.5 to 1.0 volt, barely enough voltage for even the smallest applications. To increase
the voltage, individual fuel cells are combined in series to form a stack. (The term “fuel cell”is often used to refer to the
entire stack.

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