Fuel Cell

Fuel Cell Basic How Fuel Cells work Applications of Fuel Cell Experiment Setup
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Laboratory Objectives
work with a PEM (proton exchange membrane) electrolyzer and a PEM fuel cell to study the electrochemistry of water electrolysis
how much power it takes to generate a meaningful quantity of hydrogen (10 cm^3) how efficient the electrolyzer is measure the breakdown voltage of water Power output from the fuel cell
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What is a Fuel Cell

A Fuel Cell is an electrochemical device that combines hydrogen (and oxygen) to produce electricity, with water and heat as its by-product. (H2)O + Heat Fuel (H2) + O2 / Catalyst

How a Fuel Cell work

A Fuel Cell consists of two catalyst coated electrodes surrounding an electrolyte One electrode is an anode and the other is a cathode The process begins when Hydrogen molecules enter the anode

How a Fuel Cell work

The catalyst coating separates hydrogens negatively charged electrons (e-) from the positively charged protons (H+) The electrolyte allows the protons to pass through to the cathode, but not the electrons Instead the electrons are directed through an external circuit which creates electrical current

How a Fuel Cell work

While the electrons pass through the external circuit, oxygen molecules pass through the cathode on the other side of the fuel cell There the oxygen and the protons combine with the electrons after they have passed through the external circuit When the oxygen and the protons combine with the electrons it produces water and release heat

Fuel Cells Concept

Individual fuel cells can then be placed in a series to form a fuel cell stack The stack can be used in a system to power a vehicle or to provide stationary power to a building

Fuel Cells Concept

Hydrogen Generation and applications

Types of Fuel Cells

Type Solid Oxide Molten Carbonate Phosphoric Acid Alkaline Direct Methanol Polymer (PEM) Efficiency(%) 45-65 50 40 50-60 40 40 Operating Temp 800-1000 650 200 80 80 50
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Benefits
Low / Zero Emissions
Based on measured data, a fuel cell power plant may create less than one ounce of pollution per 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity (25 pounds for Conventional systems) -- Clean Energy

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Benefits
High Efficiency (for power output) 2nd law ? Quiet Fuel Flexible (Next slide) Combine with wind power and solar power Lightweight battery alternative Wide Range of Applications High Quality, Reliable Power
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Applications
Transportation
All major automakers are working to commercialize a fuel cell car Automakers and experts speculate that a fuel cell vehicle will be commercialized by 2012, others later 50 fuel cell buses are currently in use in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia Trains, planes, boats, scooters, forklifts and even bicycles are utilizing fuel cell technology as well
Ford Hyundai Toyota

Honda

GM

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Applications

Honda

TOYOTA FCHV-adv

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Hyundai's zero-emissions ix35 Fuel Cell is similar in performance to the petrol version

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Applications
Stationary Power Stations Over 2,500 fuel cell systems have been installed all over the world in hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, office buildings, schools and utility power plants Most of these systems are either connected to the electric grid to provide supplemental power and backup assurance or as a grid-independent generator for locations that are inaccessible by power lines
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Applications
Telecommunications
Due to computers, the Internet and sophisticated communication networks there is a need for an incredibly reliable power source Fuel Cells have been proven to be 99.999% reliable

Micro Power
Consumer electronics could gain drastically longer battery power with Fuel Cell technology Cell phones can be powered for 30 days without recharging Laptops can be powered for 20 hours without recharging
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Thermodynamics analysis
Gibbs function (g) : property defined in terms of properties

U: internal energy H: Enthalpy T: Absolute temperature S: Final entropy P: Absolute pressure V: Final volume

g h Ts U PV Ts

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Thermodynamics
The change in Gibbs free energy, G, in a reaction can be thought of as the maximum amount of work obtainable from a reaction. For example, in the oxidation of glucose, the change in Gibbs free energy is G = 686 kcal = 2870 kJ.

G H TS

(n=number of electrons released at the anode F=Faraday constant, = electric potential)

G nF
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Electrolysis of Water
The amount power must be supplied by the battery is actually the change in the Gibbs function G = H - TS
Electrical Energy input

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Electrolysis of Water
Electrolysis of Water H20 H2+1/2O2 (T=298K, P=1 atm)
H2O Enthalpy Entropy -285.83 kJ 69.91 J/K 130.68 J/K H2 0.5 O2 Change H = 285.83 kJ 0.5 x 205.14 J/K TS = 48.7 kJ

H=285.83 kJ TS = 48.7 kJ (S = 130.68+ 0.5 x 205.14 - 69.91, T=298 K) G = H - TS =285.83 kJ-48.7 kJ=237.1kJ
Theoretical Electrical Energy input for Electrolysis of Water :

G =237.1kJ
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Hydrogen Fuel Cell

The theoretical efficiency of a fuel cell is

max

G H fc

The overall system efficiency

fc R C
( R: the reform efficiency (hydrocarbon), C : the DC/AC convert efficiency)
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Example
Hydrogen and oxygen are combined in a fuel cell to produce electrical energy in a fuel cell. This process is presumed to be at 298K and one atmosphere pressure. For the ideal case, determine the efficiency of fuel energy converted to electrical energy. G = H - TS = -285.83 kJ + 48.7 kJ = -237.1 kJ H = 285.83 kJ

max

G 237.1/285.8 x100% 83% H fc

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Laboratory Objectives
work with a PEM electrolyzer and a PEM fuel cell to study the electrochemistry of water electrolysis
how much power/time it takes to generate a meaningful quantity of hydrogen (10 cm^3) measure the breakdown voltage of water Voltage and Power output from the fuel cell

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