- Fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electricity eliminating combustion process. As a result, it is not governed by Carnot efficiency associated with heat engines, currently used for power generation, imparting higher efficiency and productivity.
- Their mode of operation of Fuel cells is similar to that of a battery. Unlike a battery, a fuel cell does not store energy and instead converts chemical energy to electrical energy, without an intermediate conversion steps into heat and then mechanical power, which is required in combustion technologies
- A fuel cell consists of an anode, cathode and an electrolyte. The electrolyte is in intimate contact with the porous anode and cathode. Fuel which is H2 or a mixture of H2 rich gas is introduced at the anode surface, and oxidant is fed at cathode. They react electrochemically in the three-phase-boundary region established at the gas-electrolyte-electrode interface.
Advantages of fuel cells
- Advantages of fuel cells
- Most fuel cells operate silently, compared to internal combustion engines.
- Fuel cells can eliminate emissions formed by burning fossil fuels for hydrogen fuelled fuel cells, the only by-product is water.
- Hydrogen supplied by electrolysis of water driven by renewable energy, then using fuel cells eliminates greenhouse gases over the whole cycle.
- Fuel cells do not depend upon conventional fuels such as oil or gas reducing the economic dependence on oil producing countries, creating greater energy security for the user nation.
- Since hydrogen can be produced anywhere where there is water and a source of power, generation of fuel can be distributed and does not have to be grid-dependent.
- The use of stationary fuel cells power generation at the point of use allows for a decentralised stable power grid.
- Low temperature fuel cells (PEMFC, DMFC) have low heat transmission which makes them ideal for military applications.
- Higher temperature fuel cells produce high-grade process heat along with electricity and are well suited to cogeneration applications (such as combined heat and power for residential use).
- Operating times are much longer than with batteries, since doubling the operating time needs only doubling the amount of fuel and not the doubling of the capacity of the unit itself.
- Unlike batteries, fuel cells have no "memory effect" when they are getting refuelled
- The maintenance of fuel cells is simple since there are few moving parts in the system.