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Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Hydrogen fuel cells work by splitting hydrogen into protons and electrons at the anode and recombining them with oxygen at the cathode to produce water and energy. There are several types of fuel cells including proton exchange membrane fuel cells, which operate at low temperatures and use a solid polymer electrolyte, and alkaline fuel cells, which use a liquid electrolyte like potassium hydroxide. While fuel cells have advantages like being clean and efficient, challenges remain around producing, storing, and transporting hydrogen fuel as well as reducing the cost of catalysts like platinum.

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Akshay Jadhav
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592 views22 pages

Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Hydrogen fuel cells work by splitting hydrogen into protons and electrons at the anode and recombining them with oxygen at the cathode to produce water and energy. There are several types of fuel cells including proton exchange membrane fuel cells, which operate at low temperatures and use a solid polymer electrolyte, and alkaline fuel cells, which use a liquid electrolyte like potassium hydroxide. While fuel cells have advantages like being clean and efficient, challenges remain around producing, storing, and transporting hydrogen fuel as well as reducing the cost of catalysts like platinum.

Uploaded by

Akshay Jadhav
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Basic electrochem
Galvantic cell
2H2 + O2 2H2O
Anode (oxidation)
H2 2H+ + 2e Cathode (reduction)
O2 + 4e- 2O2-

Typical electrochemical cell/battery


Flow of electrons
Anode
oxidation

potentiometer
Cathode
reduction
Salt bridge

Junction potentials

Fuel cell
The fuel is the anode
The oxidant is the cathode
The fuel and oxidant continuously flow
through the cell
An electrolyte separates the fuel and
oxidant channels
Solid or liquid electrolyte that conducts
protons
Need catalyst at low temp

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Potential Advantages

Clean; only product is H2O and heat.


More efficient than heat engine.
Higher part load efficiency
Excellent response time
Co-generation
No tuning required
No recharging required

Disadvantages
H2 is difficult/expensive to produce, store
and transport.
Fuels cells require pure fuel.
Platinum catalysts are expensive and rare
Proton exchange membranes must be
kept moist
Hydrogen fuel cell stacks are heavy

uses
Stationary power plants; small, power to
neighborhoods, hospitals, ect.
Submarines
Buses
Cars

Proton Exchange Membrane


(PEM) Fuel Cells
Electrolyte is a thin solid polymer film (acidified
Teflon)
Conducts H+ from the anode to the cathode
Low temp (160-195 C)
15-30 psi
1.1 V
H2 2H+ + 2e1/2O2 + 2e- + 2H+ H2O

Direct Methanol Fuel Cells


CH3OH + H2O 6H+ + CO2 + 6e3/2O2 + 6e- + 6H+ 3H2O
Still pretty new technology, uses a different
catalyst at a higher temp.
Not as efficient

Several Advantages

Tolerant to CO2 in oxidant


Low temp
Dry electrolyte
Non-corrosive electrolyte
High current, voltage and power density
Tolerant to differential pressures

Disadvantages
Anode and cathode needs platinum
catalysts
Tolerates only about 50 ppm of CO and a
few ppm of Sulfur compounds in fuel
Gas humidification required
Expensive membrane

Alkaline Fuel Cells


Molten KOH as electrolyte
Conducts OH- from cathode to anode
Circulating electrolye, removes heat and
water/or a stationary paste needs
H2 + 2OH- 2H2O + 2e1/2O2 + H2O + 2e- 2OHRemoval of water is critical

Advantages

Low temp
Fast start up
High efficiency
Little or no platinum catalyst needed
Minimal corrosion

Disadvantages
Extremely intolerant of CO2 (350 ppm) and
somewhat intolerant of CO
Liquid electrolyte handling
Complex water management
Short lifetime

Other barriers to the Realization of


a Hydrogen Economy

Platinum catalyst
Humidification
Needs pure fuel
Fuel cell stacks are heavy
Hydrogen production is expensive
Hydrogen transportation is expensive
Hydrogen storage is vehicles is a bit
impratical

Hydrogen Production
Hydrogen is an energy carrier, not an energy
source
Fossil fuels especially, coal and natural gas
methane reforming and partial oxidation (burning)
High temperatures and steam/more efficient than
combustion

Renewable electrolysis (wind, solar, geothermal,


hydroelectric)
Nuclear
Biomass
Photo-electrochemical using algae
Consume water and solar energy and produce H2

Hydrogen Transport

Pipelines
High pressure tubes
Cryogenic tankers
Chemical carriers

Research

Less costly materials for pipelines


Less expensive compression technology
Less costly liquefaction processes
More cost effective bulk storage strategies

Hydrogen Storage in vehicle


Hydrogen has a low energy to volume
ratio.
The hydrogen fuel tank takes up a lot of
space.
Can we store hydrogen in a different form
(metal hydride)?
This is why methanol as a fuel is an
attractive option.

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