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Well, a fuel cell is a self-contained power generator. It converts a source fuel to make electricity by oxidizing the fuel in an electrolyte. The reaction is triggered by a catalyst, and as long as source fuel is oxidized, the fuel cell operates without disruption fabricating heat. The reaction productions freed are water and galore environmentally friendly gases. There are assorted kinds of fuel cells categorized by the type of electrolyte they use as well as the operating range temperature. Solid oxide cells use a solid rather than liquid electrolyte to fabricate electricity with natural gas as the fuel. These types of fuel cells operate at very high temperatures (as much as 1000 Celsius) which is a double-edged sword. On the one hand the heat produced by the electrochemical reaction may be applied to develop steam for conventional steam generators (co-generations of heat and power) as well as the electricity generated by the cell itself. The problem with these high temperatures is it makes the cells prone to breaking down, specially the ancillary constituents of the scheme like fans, heaters, and appliances to procedure the natural gas. Another type of fuel cell is the alkaline cell. This is the power source that in a literal sense took us to the moon and back. It has been applied by NASA since the 1960s for both the Apollo missions and the Space Shuttle. It consumes hydrogen and very pure oxygen to formulate potable water, heat (very utile in outer space) and electricity. It’s one of the most effective fuel cells with efficiencies as much as 70%, Because it requires such purity of the fuel hydrogen and oxidizer it is susceptible to contamination and it is very expensive. Good for the space program but not commercially viable. Molten carbonate fuel cells are another type in the class of high temperature fuel cells. Operating at 650 Celsius the lithium carbonate and potassium carbonate become molten which gives high mobility to the ions. Molten Carbonate cells may have efficiencies approaching 50% and when waste heat is employed for powering traditionalisti steam generators the efficiencies may reach 85%. Phosphoric-acid fuel cells may be applied in little power-generation applications. This type is another in the class of high temperature power-generation cells. The phosphoric acid in concentrations of up to 100% is the liquid electrolyte. These cells take a long time to get to optimal temperature and are not utile in private vehicles but are in use today in bus fleets and could be employed for tractor-trailer transportation. Direct-methanol fuel cells uses methanol and water at the anode where a platinum coated membrane reacts with the water/methanol developing electrons for direct current. The power output and efficacy are both low and are only utile for low power apps like cell phones and portable media players. Research is being done to use ethanol rather than the toxic methanol for the source fuel. Imagine powering your iPad with a shot of Everclear. Finally there is the polymer interchange membrane fuel cell. This is in all likelihood the best known because it’s the one automati manufacturers are starting to use for total electric vehicles that don’t need to be recharged after short distances. Their high power density and low operating temperature makes them the preferent choice for transportation. Several automati manufacturers have already made experimental vehicles and are promising by 2012-2015 time frame to have these cars coming out of the factories. Fuel cells have been with us for a very long time dating back to the mid-1800. Not until the 1970s did exploration take a leap forward bettering the materials and processes employed to make and deploy the cells. All the cell types are in use today for a potpourri of uses, from stationary power plants, to power for little electronic devices, to powering personal vehicles and buses. There will be an oil shortage in the near future that will drive oil prices higher than we may imagine and these developments and the ones to come will lift us out of the oil era and into the hydrogen era. |
Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell
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