Fuel Cell Technology at a glanceFuel cells convert fuel and air directly into electricity, heat and water through an electrochemical process. Unlike conventional engines, they do not burn fuel to power pistons or shafts, resulting in a lower degree of efficiency loss, low emissions and no moving parts.
In principle, a fuel cell operates like a battery. However, unlike a battery, it will not discharge as it continues to be supplied with fuel and air.
It is an essentially clean technology that uses hydrogen (from a fuel source) and oxygen (from the air) to generate electricity and heat without combustion or pollution – the only basic emission is water vapour.
The Technologies
There are several different types of fuel cells, but all share the same basic design of two electrodes (a negative anode and a positive cathode) separated by a solid or liquid electrolyte that carries electrically charged particles. Hydrogen is passed over the anode, and oxygen over the cathode, which produce, respectively, hydrogen and oxygen ions that can combine to form water and produce an electric current. Catalytic coatings on the electrodes are generally used to speed up reactions.
Fuel cells are classified according to the nature of their electrolyte, which also determines their operating temperature. Each type of fuel cell has particular materials requirements and, in theory, all can operate using a wide range of fuels – providing that the fuel contains hydrogen which can be obtained by reforming. Three technologies of interest are:
- Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC)
- Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC)
- Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC).
You can find more information about these technologies through the links in the left navigation panel. |
