“STUDY OF FUEL CELLS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS”

A REPORT SUBMITTED FOR THE PARTIAL FULFILMENT

OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR UNDERGRADUATE
COURSE.
BY

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
AMBITION ACADEMY H.S.S
MID BANESHWOR, KATHMANDU, NEPAL

CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL
This project work entitled “STUDY OF FUEL CELLS AND
THEIR APPLICATIONS” by under the supervision of Mr. Ganesh
Pahari is hereby submitted for the partial fulfilment of the
requirement for the undergraduate course.

.................................
Supervisor
Ganesh Pahari

…......................... …..........................
Internal Examiner External Examiner
Sukdev Acharya …............................

…............................
Head of Department, Chemistry
Sukdev Acharya
Ambition Academy H.S.S
Mid Baneshwor, Kathmandu
Nepal
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my deep and sincere gratitude to my
principal Mr. Bishnu Ghimire, head of department of chemistry Mr.
Sukdev Acharya as well as supervisor Mr. Ganesh Pahari for giving
me the opportunity to do project and providing invaluable guidance
throughout this project. His dynamism, vision, sincerity and
motivation have deeply inspired me. He has taught me the
methodology to carry out the report and to present the report as
clearly as possible. It was a great privilege and honor to work and
study under his guidance. I am extremely grateful for what he has
offered me. I would also like to thank him for his friendship, empathy,
and great sense of humor.
Any attempt at any level can’t be satisfactorily completed
without the support and guidance of my parents and friends. I would
like to thank my parents and friends who helped me a lot in gathering
different information, collecting data and guiding me from time to
time in making this project, despite of their busy schedules, they gave
me different ideas in making this project unique.
XI CHEMISTRY

TABLE OF CONTENT
 Page Number
1. Introduction ….................................................. 1
2. Working of Fuel Cell…..................................... 2
3. Type of Fuel Cell ………………..……………. 3-6
4. Applications of Fuel Cells…............................ 7
5. Advantages of Fuel Cell ……………………… 8
6. Discussion......................................................... 9
7. Conclusion …................................................... 10
8. References ……………………………………. 11
 Introduction
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. The reactions
that produce electricity take place at the electrodes. Every fuel cell also has an
electrolyte, which carries electrically charged particles from one electrode to the
other, and a catalyst, which speeds the reactions at the electrodes. Hydrogen is the
basic fuel, but fuel cells also require oxygen. One great appeal of fuel cells is that
they generate electricity with very little pollution–much of the hydrogen and
oxygen used in generating electricity ultimately combines to form a harmless
byproduct, namely water.

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 WORKING OF FUEL CELL

The purpose of a fuel cell is to produce an electrical current that can be directed
outside the cell to do work, such as powering an electric motor or illuminating a
light bulb or a city.
There are several kinds of fuel cells, and each operates a bit differently. But in
general terms, hydrogen atoms enter a fuel cell at the anode where a chemical
reaction strips them of their electrons. The hydrogen atoms are now "ionized," and
carry a positive electrical charge. The negatively charged electrons provide the
current through wires to do work. If alternating current (AC) is needed, the DC
output of the fuel cell must be routed through a conversion device called an
inverter. Oxygen enters the fuel cell at the cathode and, in some cell types, it there
combines with electrons returning from the electrical circuit and hydrogen ions that
have traveled through the electrolyte from the anode. In other cell types the oxygen
picks up electrons and then travels through the electrolyte to the anode, where it
combines with hydrogen ions. Whether they combine at anode or cathode, together
hydrogen and oxygen form water, which drains from the cell. As long as a fuel cell
is supplied with hydrogen and oxygen, it will generate electricity.

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 Type of Fuel Cell
Despite working similarly, there exist many varieties of fuel cells. Some of these
types of fuel cells are discussed in below:
1) Alkali Fuel Cell
Alkali fuel cells operate on compressed hydrogen and oxygen. They generally use
a solution of potassium hydroxide (chemically, KOH) in water as their electrolyte.
Efficiency is about 70 percent, and the operating temperature is 150 to 200 degrees
C (about 300 to 400 degrees F). Cell output ranges from 300 watts (W) to 5
kilowatts (kW). Alkali cells were used in the Apollo spacecraft to provide both
electricity and drinking water. However, they require pure hydrogen fuel, and their
platinum electrode catalysts are expensive, and like any container filled with
liquid, it can leak.

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2) Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell
Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) use high-temperature compounds of salt (like
sodium or magnesium) and carbonates (chemically, CO3) as electrolytes.
Efficiency ranges from 60 to 80 percent, and the operating temperature is about
650 °C (1,200 °F). Units with an output of up to 2 megawatts (MW) have been
constructed, and designs exist for units up to 100 MW. The high temperature limits
damage from carbon monoxide "poisoning" the cell, and waste heat can be
recycled to make additional electricity. Their nickel electrode catalysts are
inexpensive compared to the platinum used in other cells. But the high temperature
also limits the materials and safe uses of MCFCs; they would probably be too hot
for home use. Also, carbonate ions from the electrolyte are used up in the
reactions, making it necessary to inject carbon dioxide to compensate.

3) Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell

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Phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC) use phosphoric acid as the electrolyte.
Efficiency ranges from 40 to 80 percent, and the operating temperature is between
150 and 200 degrees C (about 300 and 400 degrees F). Existing phosphoric acid
cells have outputs up to 200 kW, and 11 MW units have been tested. PACs tolerate
a carbon monoxide concentration of about 1.5 percent, broadening their fuel
choice. If gasoline is used, the sulfur must be removed. Platinum electrode
catalysts are needed, and internal parts must be able to withstand the corrosive
acid.

4) Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

5
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) use a hard, ceramic compound of metal oxides
(chemically, O2) as electrolytes. Efficiency is about 60 percent, and operating
temperatures are about 1,000 degrees C (about 1,800 degrees F). The cell's output
is up to 100 kW. At such high temperatures, a reformer is not required to extract
hydrogen from the fuel, and waste heat can be recycled to make additional
electricity. However, the high temperatures limit the applications of SOFC units,
and they tend to be rather large. While solid electrolytes cannot leak, they can
crack.

APPLICATIONS OF FUEL CELL

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Fuel cell technology has a wide range of applications. Currently, heavy research is
being conducted in order to manufacture a cost-efficient automobile which is
powered by a fuel cell. A few applications of this technology are listed below.

 Fuel cell electric vehicles, or FCEVs, use clean fuels and are therefore more
eco-friendly than internal combustion engine-based vehicles.
 They have been used to power many space expeditions including the Apollo
space program.
 Generally, the byproducts produced from these cells are heat and water.
 The portability of some fuel cells is extremely useful in some military
applications.
 These electrochemical cells can also be used to power several electronic
devices.
 Fuel cells are also used as primary or backup sources of electricity in many
remote areas.

ADVANTAGES OF FUEL CELL

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 More efficient: Fuel cells prove to be much more efficient than a normal
combustion engine since it converts chemical energy directly into electrical
energy. In comparison to the other powering mechanism devices, the fuel cells
are largely effective. They have a direct channel for energy to get converted,
without undergoing a double conversion process. Thus, these are widely
recommended.
 Saves wasteful emission: Unlike other cells which generate greenhouse gases
in the process of energy conversion, fuel cells prove to be a major improvement
as the only emission that they create are heat and water. Hence, great for the
environment.
 More stable: The fuel cells assure minimal movement of various parts within
and around the cell. They are, therefore, more reliable and convenient than a
traditional cell.
 Takes care of natural resources: The process of atom separation and energy
generation is very clean and an ergonomic method in fuel cells. Thus, beneficial
for natural resources.
 Complimentary: Fuel cells by far present the most ergonomic solution if one
wants to combine the cell with other technologies. You can make this
combination of turbines and solar panels. Hence, known as complementary in
nature.
 Scalable: You can use the fuels cells to generate electricity from a few mill
watts to many megawatts. It also helps in powering a variety of devices such as
cellphones and households. Thus, they are scalable.

DISCUSSION

8
The reaction between hydrogen and oxygen can be used to generate electricity via
a fuel cell. Such a cell was used in the Apollo space program and it served two
different purposes – It was used as a fuel source as well as a source of drinking
water (the water vapor produced from the cell, when condensed, was fit for human
consumption). The working of this fuel cell involved the passing of hydrogen and
oxygen into a concentrated solution of sodium hydroxide via carbon electrodes.
The efficiency of the fuel cell described above in the generation of electricity
generally approximates to 70% whereas thermal power plants have an efficiency of
40%. This substantial difference in efficiency is because the generation of electric
current in a thermal power plant involves the conversion of water into steam, and
the usage of this steam to rotate a turbine. Fuel cells, however, offer a platform for
the direct conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy.

CONCLUSION
9
 Fuel cells prove to be much more efficient than a normal combustion engine since
it converts chemical energy directly into electrical energy. In comparison to the
other powering mechanism devices, the fuel cells are largely effective. They have a
direct channel for energy to get converted, without undergoing a double conversion
process. Thus, these are widely recommended. : Unlike other cells which generate
greenhouse gases in the process of energy conversion, fuel cells prove to be a major
improvement as the only emission that they create are heat and water.

REFERENCES

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1) Toppr.com
2) Researchgate.net
3) Vedantu

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