FUEL CELL >

Fuel cell consist of electrolyte and two electrodes which convert chemical energy
of chemical reaction between fuel and oxident dirctly covert electrical energy.

.The coventional process to produced electrical energy is as follow as

chemical energy heat mechanical energy electrical e.

.In fuel cell it directly converts chemical energy into electrical energy .
.The efficiency of energy conversion of fuel cell is 70% . in 15-20% in gasoline
powered engine and 30-35% in diesel engine.
PRINCIPLE OF FUEL CELL>
.It consist of electrodes,electrolyte and catalyst to facilitate electrochemical redox
reaction.
.The basic arrangment of in fuel cell is given blow.
Fuel > Electrodes > Electrolyte > Electrodes > Oxident
Fuel cell cosist of>
Anode. A layer of anoidic catalyst
Cathode. a layer of cathoidic catalyst
Electolyte
FUEL CELL CONSIST OF>
ANODE AND CATHODE>
Material which have high electron conductivity and zero proton conductivity in
the form of porous catalyst or carbon.
CATALYST> Platinum'
Electrolyte> High proton conductivity and zero electron conductivity.
(FUEL CELL SYSTEM)>
1.the fuel undergoes oxidation a anode and release electrons.
2.These electrons flow through through external circuit to cathode.
3.At cathode oxident(O2 from air) get reduced
4.electrons produced electricity while passing through the external
circuit.electricity is generated contineously as long as fueland the oxident is
contineously and separately supplied to the electrodes of the cell from reserviors
outsides the electrochemical cell.
ADVANTAGES OF FUEL CELLS>
1.High efficiency of energy conversion from chemical energy to electrical energy.
2.Low noise pollution and low thermal pollution.
3.Fuel cell power can reduce expensive transmission lines and minimize
transmission loses for a disturbed system.
4.Fuel cell gives excellent method for efficient use of fossil fuels hence saves
fossil fuels.
5.Fuel cells are less polluting.The chemical process involved in it is clean.It does
not produce polluting exhaust.Mostely the by product are waternand waste heat,
which are enviormentally acceptable when hydrogen and air are used as
reactants.
6.in case of fossil fuels, when used as reactants , enviormentally undesirable NOx
are not produced since there is no combustion in the process.
7.Hydrogen-Oxygen fuel cells produce drinking water of potable quality.
8.Low maintanance cost.
9.Fuel cell performance is independent of power plant size.The efficiency does
not depend on the size of power plant.it remains same for the plants of MW or
KW or W size.
10.Fast start up time for low temparature system.

DISADVANTAGES OF FUEL CELLS>

1.High efficiency cost.
2.Life times of the cells are not accuately unknown.
3.Large weight and volume of gas fuel storage system.
4.High cost of pure hydrogen.
5.Hydrogen can be stored in lsser volueme by liquefication but liquefication itself
require 30% of stored energy.
6.Lack of infrastructure for distributing hydrogen.

APPLICATION OF FUEL CELLS>

The first commercial use of fuel cell was in NASA space program to generate
power for satelits and space capsules.
Fues are used of for primaey nd backup power for commercial, industrial and
residential buildings in remote and inaccessible areas.

They are used to power fuel cell vehicals including aytomobiles,aeroplanes, boats
and submarines.

Types Of Fuel Cells>

Alkaline fuel cell,molten carbonate fuel cell(MCFC), solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC),
Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC), Polymer Electrodes to Membrane Fuel Cell
(PEMFC).

TWO COMMERCIALLY IMORTANT FUEL CELLS AS;

1.Phosphoric acid fuel cell
2.Polymer Electrode to Membrane fuel cell
SET UP OF PAFC>
1.These fuel celluse liquid phosphoric acid as electrolyte contained in a silicon
carbide matrix placed between electrodes.
2.The electrodes are made of carbon paper coated with a finely dispersed
platinum catalyst bonded with teflon.
3.Hydrogen or reformate gas (mixture of H2 + CO) generated from alcohols or
hydrocrbons is used as fuel wherease air is used as oxidant.

WORKING OF PAFC>
1.The catalyst strips electron off the hydroen rich fuel a the anode.
2.positively charged hydrogen ions then migrate through the electrolyte from
anode to the cathode.
3.At the cathode, the electrons , hydogen ions and oxygen form water which is
discharged from the fuel cell.

The cell reaction can be represented as;

(at anode)....2H2........> 4H+ + 4e-
(at cathode) O2 +4H+ + 4e- .......> 2H2O
(Over all reaction) 2H2 + O2 .......> 2H2O