ALTERNATE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

FUEL CELL
BATTERY
 A cell consists of two
electrodes of different
metals immersed in a
weak acid
 Multiple cells can be
stacked in series to make
a battery
 The positive terminal is
called the anode and the
negative terminal the
cathode
BATTERY

 Batteries connected end to end will have a

voltage equal to the total voltage of the
individual batteries
 Disposable dry cell batteries have a typical
voltage of 1.5 V
 BATTERIES IN SERIES
1.5 V 3V
 Batteries connected end to
end will have a voltage
equal to the total voltage
of the individual batteries +
 Disposable dry cell
+
batteries have a typical
voltage of 1.5 V +
AMP-HOURS

 The total energy contained within a battery can be

described using Amp-hours
 Example: A battery that can provide 4 A-hrs can generate
4 A for 1 hour, 2 A for 2 hrs., etc.
 Example: A 12 volt car battery can provide 60 A-hrs. of
energy. How many joules is this?
 Solution: If it drew 60 A of current at 12 V, that would be
(60 A) x (12 V) = 720 W. And 1 hr = 3600 s, so (720 W) x
(3600 s) = 2.59 x 106 J
 In other words: Energy (J) = (Amp-hours) x (Volts) x (3600)
 WORKING-BATTERY
 Both electrodes slowly dissolve
in the acid
 At the anode, electrons are
used in chemical reactions as
the metal dissolves
 At the cathode, electrons are
absorbed into the electrode as
the metal dissolves
 The net result is a buildup of
electrons at the cathode
DISPOSABLE & RECHARGEABLE

 A rechargeable battery can be connected to an

electric current so that dissolved metals reform on
the electrodes
 Examples: lead acid, nickel cadmium, lithium, etc.
 The chemical reactions that power a disposable
battery cannot be reversed
 Examples: alkaline dry cells, etc.
 LEAD ACID BATTERY
 Two electrodes, one of lead,
the other of lead dioxide
(PbO2) immersed in
sulfuric acid
 Lead ions (Pb++) dissolve,
leaving two electrons
behind
 Two electrons flow through
the circuit and are used to
help lead dioxide dissolve
DISPOSABLE BATTEIES
 A typical disposable
battery contains a carbon
(graphite) and a zinc
electrode
 The electrolyte is a paste
of ammonium chloride
 Disposable batteries may
leak if too much of the
zinc can is dissolved
 ELECTRIC VEHICLES
 Electric vehicles use
electric motors powered by
rechargeable batteries
 Both Honda and GM
(among others)
manufacture electric
vehicles
 Electric vehicles have been
around as long as gas The GM EV-1
powered cars!
 ELECTRIC VEHICLE WORKING
 An electric motor replaces the gas
engine
 Electric motors are extremely
reliable
 During braking, electric motors can
act as generators and recharge the
batteries
 A rechargeable battery pack in the Electric Motor
trunk provides electric power
 Battery packs are heavy and costly
 They must be replaced eventually

Battery Pack
COMPARISION
Fuel Type Energy Density Range (miles)
(kJ/kg)
Gasoline 48,000 350+

Lead Acid 110-180 70-90

Batteries
NiCad Batteries 200 110-120

Lithium 540 270

Batteries
Pros and Cons of Electric Cars
 Pros  Cons
 Pollution occurs at the  Limited range
power plant where it  Batteries must be
can be more easily replaced frequently
contained  Very expensive
 Lower operating  Same total amount of
expenses (repairs, pollution (when
refueling) than gas including the power
engines plant that generates
electricity)
HISTORY
FC=BATTERY=IC ENGINE
EFFICIENCY COMPARISON
FUEL CELL
 FUEL CELLS
 In a fuel cell hydrogen is
“burned” by mixing with
oxygen in such a way that
it creates a voltage across
two electrodes
 Only water is produced as
a by-product
 Hydrogen can be fed in
directly or as part of larger
molecules such as methane
(natural gas)
 HOW THEY WORK
 Hydrogen molecules give
up their electrons to the
first electrode
 Electrons pass through
the circuit to the second
electrode
 Electrons are returned to
the molecules when
hydrogen and oxygen
combine to make water
FC=PROCESS
FUEL CELL PRINCIPLE
TYPES OF FUEL CELLS
TYPES
CHARACTERSTICS
FUEL CELLS-ADV
CLASSIFICATIONS = FC

HIGH TEMPERATURE FC > 600 O C

 MOLTEN CARBONATE
 SOLID OXIDE
LOW TEMPERATURE FC < 250 O C
 ALKALINE
 PHOSPHORIC ACID
 PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE
MOFC
MOFC
MOFC
MOFC=REACTIONS
MOFC=OVERALL RXN
MOFC
MOFC
SOFC
SOFC
SOFC
SOFC
SOFC= REACTIONS
SOFC = OVERALL RXN
ALKALINE FC
ALKALINE FC
ALKALINE FC
ALKALINE FC
ALKALINE FC = RXN
ALKALINE FC = OVERALL RXN
PAFC
PAFC
PAFC
PAFC
PAFC
PAFC = RXNS
PEMFC
PEMFC
PEMFC
PEMFC CELL
PARTS OF PEM CELL
 Bipolar Plates
Serpentine channels for hydrogen and oxygen
to flow through device
Acts as a current collector – electrons enter
and exit cell through the plate

 Anode
Conducts electrons away from catalyst to
external circuit
Channels to supply H 2 evenly to the surface of
the catalyst

 Cathode
Channels to supply O2 evenly to the surface of
the catalyst
Conducts electrons back to catalyst for
recombining
PARTS OF PEMFC
 Membrane Electrode Assembly
 Anode
 Cathode
 PEM (Polymer Electrolyte
Membrane)
conducts only positively charged ions
blocks electrons and other substances

 Catalyst
thin coat of platinum powder applied to carbon paper or cloth
• maximizes surface area

 Backing Layers
porous carbon cloth conducts electrons away from catalyst to
external circuit
allows right amount of water vapor to enter/exit
too much blocks the pores
membrane needs to be humidified
SCHEMATIC
MEMBRANE
PEM MEMBRANE
 Thickness of the membrane and
catalyst in the PEM can vary …
 Example: catalyst layers
containing about 0.15 milligrams
(mg) Pt/cm2
• thickness of the catalyst
layer is close to 10
micrometers
• yields a MEA with a total
thickness of about 200μm (or
0.2 mm or 20 sheets of paper)
• generates more than half an
ampere of current per cm2
at a voltage of 0.7 volts


PEM MEMBRANE
 Polymers such as
polyphenylenes, Nafion are
used

 Water is a crucial participant

in the process
absorption of water
increases the proton
conductivity
membrane is confined –
not free to swell – pushes
electrodes

LIMITATIONS
PEMFC
PEMFC
PEMFC =RXNS
PEMFC APPLICATIONS
CHALLENGES
 Platinum: reduction of amt of material used = reduced
cost
 Wikipedia: 2002 cost was $1,000 per kW
 Water management
 Too little --- membrane dries up
 Too much --- pores blocked, efficiency drops
 Steady Fuel Supply
 Controlling amount of incoming gas + pressure
 Poisoning of the anode by carbon monoxide
 Temperature control
PEM STACK
PEM STACK
FUEL CELL STACK DEVELOPMENT
PEM FUEL CELL STACK
COMPONENTS-FUEL CELL POWER
PLANT
POWER PLANT SYSTEM
PEM FC=WATER MANAGEMENT
PEM CELL-THERMAL MANAGEMENT
FUEL CELL POWERED UNIT
DMFC
DMFC
DMFC = RXN
ADV=DIS ADV

 INEXPENSIVE
 HIGH ENERGY DENSITY
 EASILY STORED & TRANSPORTED
 COMPACT
 ELECTRICAL EFF LOW
 USE OF CATALYST
 TOXIC & INFLAMMABLE
FUEL CELL-ADV-DISADV

 HIGH EFFEICEINCY CONVERSION

 HIGH POWER DENSITY
 QUIET OPERATION
 HIGHCOST
 CONTINUOUS FUEL SUPPLY
ADV

 POLLUTION FREE OPERATION

 HIGH THERMODYNAMIC
EFFICEINCY
 SUITABLE FOR AUTOMOTIVE
APPLICATIONS AT LOW
TEMPERATURE
 USED IN CO-GEN SYSTEMS
 NO RECHARGING
FUEL CELL-ADV
SUMMARY
APPLICATIONS=TRANSPORT

 Forklift trucks and other goods handling vehicles such as

airport baggage trucks etc
 Two- and three-wheeler vechicles such as scooters
 Light duty vehicles (LDVs), such as cars and vans
 Buses and trucks
 Trains and trams
 Ferries and smaller boats
 Manned light aircraft
 Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned
undersea vehicles (UUVs), for example, for reconnaissance
f
APPLICATIONS=STATIONARY

 UPS systems provide a guaranteed supply of power in the

event of grid interruption; this market can be divided into
five sub-sectors:
 Off-line short run-time systems for telecommunication
base stations;
 Off-line extended run-time systems for critical
communication base stations such as Terrestrial Trunked
Radio (Tetra) networks;
 Off-line extended run-time rack mountable systems for
data centres;
 On-line rack mountable systems for data centres;
 Off-line systems for residential use.
APPLICATIONS
APP=SUBMARINES
APP=BUS & CARS
APP = CARS
APP=POWER SYSTEMS
FUTURE PROGRAMS
DG VS CG
THANK YOU