The benefits of fuel cells are far-reaching. Following is an overview of some of the most noteworthy.
- Fuel cells are 2-3 times as efficient as internal combustion engines for vehicle propulsions; and when used in co-generation applications fuel cell power plants can achieve energy efficiencies over 80 percent.
- Fuel cell power plants are so clean that some cities have exempted the technology from the requirements to obtain air permits.
- A program to install eight fuel cells at wastewater treatment plants around New York City expects to (more…)
October 17th, 2010
In principle, a fuel cell operates like a battery. But unlike a battery, a fuel cell does not run down or require recharging — it will produce energy in the form of electricity and heat as long as fuel is supplied.Structurally, a fuel cell consists of two electrodes sandwiched around an electrolyte. Oxygen passes over one electrode and hydrogen passes over the other resulting in electricity, water and heat.Hydrogen fuel is fed into the anode of the fuel cell. Air (oxygen) enters the fuel cell through a cathode. Encouraged by a catalyst, the hydrogen atom splits into a proton and an electron which take different paths to the cathode — the proton passes through the electrolyte and the electron creates a separate current that can be utilized before they return to the cathode to be reunited with the hydrogen and oxygen in a molecule of water.A fuel cell system which includes a fuel reformer can utilize the hydrogen from any hydrocarbon fuel — from natural gas to methanol, and even gasoline. Since the fuel cell relies on chemistry and not (more…)
October 13th, 2010