9.7.

FUEL CELLS
9.7.1. Introduction
Afuel cel is an electrochemical device in which the chemical energy of aconventional fuel
S converted directlu and efficiently into low voltage, direct current electrical energu.
" Fuel cellsystems generally operate on pure hydrogen and air to produce electricity.
 NNVntNal Enery utes a Utisation
266
that WUse the onversion.
OOne ot the chiet advantars ot such a devix in
limmitati on ethien
least in theorv, can be cariexd out therml.the Carnot
dos not aly.
The essential derene betwen the primarv/sondary ellquns and fuel ell is of
ontinuous
OntimuoUS CNCTNV inut and outrt of tuci il. A fuel ellsystem Ontinuousl.
supply ot a fuel and an audizer and generates D.C. clvtric power
dischargeit
A battery has storni electochemical enengy within its container. After
needs rharging or replaement. Fucd sdo not nend such rnarging elacement.
A fuel cell is often describe as aprimary bhatterv in which the tuel and
oidize
ae stored extemal to the battery and fed to it as nevdi.
Fuel ells can be manutacturd as large or as small as nevessary tor the particular
power application. Presentlv, there are fuel cells that are the size of apencil eraser
and generate few millivatts of power while there are others large enough to
Provide large amount of pouer. The power output of fuel cells is fully soalable by
varying the cross-sectional area of each cell to get desired current and by stacking
multiple cells in sries to obtain the desirad otage.
Note. The first fuel cell was developat in 1839 in England by Sir William Grove. However, the
application of fuel cell was fist demonstrated by Francis T. Bacon in 1959 when his model generated
5kW at 24V. Its practical application began during the 1960s when the US space programme chose
fuel cells over nuclear power and solar energy. Fuel cells provided power to the Gemini. Apollo
and Skylab spacecraft, continue to be used to provide electricity and water to space shuttles.
v9.7.2. Advantages, Disadvantages and Applications of Fuel Cells
Following are the adrantages, disadantages and applications of fuel cells:
Advantages:
1. Conversion efficiencies are high.
2. Require little attention and less maintenance.
3. Can be installed near the use point, thus reducing electrical transmission
requirements and accompanying losses.
4. Fuel cell is odourless and does not make any noise.
5. A little time is needed to go into operation.
6. Space requiremernt considerably less in comparison to conventional power plants
7. Simple and safe.
8. Pollution free.
9. No cooling water needed.
10. Capacity can be increased as the demand grows.
11. Long life.
Disadvantages:
1. High initial cost.
2. Low service life.
3. Problems for refilling in vehicles.
Applications:
The applications of fuel cell relate to:
1. Domestic use.
2. Automotive vehicles.
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267
3. Central power stations.
4. Defence applications.
5. Space projects.
Fuel cells are primarily suited for low
Note. The human body hunctions essentiallyvoltage and higlh current applications.
like afuel cell. Living things take in food (fuel)
and oxygen to produce both thermal energy and
work output. They are not heat engines.
9.7.3. Components and Working Theory of a Fuel Cell
Components. The main components of a cellare:
1. Anode (Fuel electrode)
2. Cathode (oxidant electrode)
3. Electrolyte 4. Container
5. Separators 6. Sealings
7. Fuel supply
Working theory:
8. Oxidizer.(Oxiaant supply)
Fig. 9.16 shows a schematicdiagram of afuel cell.
The fuel gas diffuses through the anode and is oxidized, thus releasing electrons to the
external circuit.
The 'oxidizer' diffuses through the cathode and is reduced by the electrons that have come
from the anode by way of the external circuit.
Flow of
electrons
Load

Electrons Anode Cathode

Electrolyte

Fuel in Oxidizer
in

lons
Oxidation
products
out

Fig. 9.16. Schematic of a fuel cell.

The fuel cell is a device that keeps the fuel molecules from nixing with the oxidizer
molecules, permitting, however, the transfer of electrons by a metallic path that may
contain a load.
promising results,
Of the available fuels, hydrogen has so far given the mosteconomically much
although cells consuming coal, oil or natural gas would be
more useful for large scale applications.
Some of the possible reactions are:
1.23 V 2H, + O, 2H,0
Hydrogen/oxygen 1.56 V N,H, +O, 2H,0 +N,
Hydrazine
Carbon (coal) 1.02 V C+O, Co,
Methane 1.05 V CH,+ 2O, Co, +2H,0
9.7.4. Classification Fuel Cells
Fuelcells may be classified as follows:
A. Based on the type of electrolyte:
1. Alkaline fuel cell (AFC).
2. Phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC).
3. Polymer electrolytic membrane fuel cell (PEMFC).
4. Molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC).
5. Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC).
B. Based on operating temperature:
1. Low temperature fuel cell 25-100°C.
2. Medium temperature fuel cell (below 100-500°C).
3. High temperature fuel cell(500-1000°C).
4. Very high temperature fuel cell (Above 1100°C).
C. Based on the types of fuel and oxidant:
1. Hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell.
2. Hydrogen - air fuel cell.
3. Hydrazine-oxygen fuel cell.
4. Ammonia-air fuel cell.
5. Synthesis gas-air fuel cell.
6. Hydrocarbon (gas) - air fuel cell.
7. Hydrocarbon (liquid) -air fuel cell.
Types of fuels used in fuel cells:
The following fuels are mostly used in fuel cells:
1. Hydrogen (H,).
2. Hydrocarbon fuels.
3. Fossil fuel.
4. Alcohol fuel.
5. Hydrazine (N,H,) fuel.
9.7.5. Requirements of Electrolyte and Electrode
Following are the requirements of electrolyte and electrode:
Electrolyte:
1. It should be conductive to ions.
2. It should be electrically non-conductive.
3. lons should be free tomove through the
4. The composition of electrolyte electrolyte.
Electrode:
should not get changed during operation.
1. It should be electrically conductive.
2. It should not react with
electrolyte to prevent corrosion.
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269
3. It should be able to
4. It should also act as withstand high temperature.hydrogen and oxygen
a catalyst to convert
their ions.
molecules nto
o 7.6. Desirable
sfhurl ccll should Characteristics
of a Fuel Cel
have the following
1 It should have high characteristics:
energy conversion efficiency.
) It should produce low chemical
2 It should be flexible to choose any
pollution.
fuel.
4. It should have cogeneration capability and rapid
load response.
 the system to Surroundings.
9.7.14. Fuel Cell Power Plant
The prinary fossil fuels are used to generate electrical
energy in fuel cell power plant.
Fig. 9.24. shows the schemnatic of fuel cell based electrical
power generation scheme:
Steam

Fuel H, + CO
Fossil Fuel cell Electric power Switch gear
fuel
processing modules D.C. conditioner and supply
unit

Air

Control
unit

Fig. 9.24. Fuelcell based electrical power generation system.

- The fossil fuel is supplied to the fuel processing unit, where fuel is purified and
then supplied tofuel cellmodules'.
The fuel cell modules convert fuel energy electrochemically into DC. power.
- Anumber of fuel cells are stacked to form amodule and several modules are
producing unit.
interconnected to form a power
The power conditioningunit converts D.C. output oA.C output using inverter:
and thestandard rated supply being 3phase, 40 V, 50 He/60Hz or single phase,
230 V/110 V, 50 Hz/60Hz.
Modules of size 200-250 kW are commonly available.
9.7.15. Advantages of Fuel cell Power Plants
Following are the adtantages of fuel cell powver plants:
1. Besides electric power, fuel cell plants also supply hot water, space heat and steam.
2. These plants are eco-friendly and noiseless (since they don't have rotating parts, )
3. Fuel cellplants can attain high efficiency upto 55%, whereas conventional thermal
plants operate at around 30% efficiency.
4. These plants have cogeneration capabilíties.
5. A large degree of modularity is available with capacity ranging from 5 kW to
25 MW.
6. There is a wide choice of fuels for fuel cells.
7. It is a decentralised plant, can be operated in isolation for military installations and
hospitals where noise and smoke are prohibited.