FUEL CELLS

BY BHARATHI RAJA(07ME06) POONTHAMIL KUMARAN(07ME38) PRASANNA RAJ(07ME43) SENTHIL MURUGAN.G(07ME56) IJAYA KUMAR.K(07ME64)

Fuel Cell
- an electrochemical energy conversion device
To convert the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the process it produces electricity. Battery: the other electrochemical device that we are all familiar. A battery has all of its chemicals stored inside, and it converts those chemicals into electricity too. This means that a battery eventually "goes dead" and you either throw it away or recharge it.

or a fuel cell
!hemicals constantly flow into the cell so it never goes dead. As long as there is a flow of chemicals into the cell, the electricity flows out of the cell. "ost fuel cells in use today use hydrogen and oxygen as the chemicals.

Attractive characteristics of Fuel Cell

#igh energy conversion efficiency "odular design $ery low chemical and acoustical pollution uel flexibility !ogeneration capability %apid load response

Basic Configuration

 FUNCTIONS OF FUEL CELLS It consists of three components - a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte sandwiched between the two. Oxygen from the air flows through the cathode A fuel gas containing hydrogen, such as methane, flows past the anode. egatively charged oxygen ions migrate through the electrolyte membrane react with the hydrogen to form water, !he reacts with the methane fuel to form hydrogen "#$% & carbon dioxide "CO$%.

!his electrochemical reaction generates electrons, which flow from the anode to an external load and bac' to the cathode, a final step that both completes the circuit and supplies electric power. !o increase voltage output, several fuel cells are stac'ed together to form the heart of a clean power generator.

Animation of &'" !

our Basic 'lements in a &'" !

The electrolyte is the proton exchange membrane. This specially treated material, which loo(s something li(e ordinary (itchen plastic wrap, only conducts positively charged ions. The membrane bloc(s electrons. The catalyst is a special material that facilitates the reaction of oxygen and hydrogen. )t is usually made of platinum powder very thinly coated onto carbon paper or cloth. The catalyst is rough and porous so that the maximum surface area of the platinum can be exposed to the hydrogen or oxygen. The platinum-coated side of the catalyst faces the &'".

!hemistry of a uel !ell

Anode side( $#$ )#* * )e Cathode side( O$ * )#* * )e- $#$O et reaction( $#$ * O$ $#$O

*!#'"AT)! +)A,%A" !'// $'#)!/'

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Problems with Fuel Cells

The fuel cell uses oxygen and hydrogen to produce electricity. The oxygen re0uired for a fuel cell comes from the air. )n fact, in the &'" fuel cell, ordinary air is pumped into the cathode. The hydrogen is not so readily available, however. #ydrogen has some limitations that ma(e it impractical for use in most applications. or instance, you don1t have a hydrogen pipeline coming to your house, and you can1t pull up to a hydrogen pump at your local gas station. #ydrogen is difficult to store and distribute, so it would be much more convenient if fuel cells could use fuels that are more readily available. This problem is addressed by a device called a reformer. A reformer turns hydrocarbon or alcohol fuels into hydrogen, which is then fed to the fuel cell.