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Fuel Cells
Power is produced in fuel cells electrochemically by passing a hydrogen-rich fuel over an anode and air over a cathode and separating the two by an electrolyte. In producing electricity with fuel cells, the only by-products are heat, water and carbon dioxide. However, hydrogen fuel is produced by subjecting hydrocarbon resources to steam under pressure (called reforming or gasification), a process that often requires combustion and consequently environmental emissions.
Phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs) are currently in the market entry phase. More than two hundred PAFC units, most in the size range of 200kW, have been manufactured for sale to customers worldwide. Molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) units are undergoing full-scale demonstration, and proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEM) units are in early development and testing.
To create a complete package, the fuel cells are integrated with an inverter to convert the direct current to an alternating current. The direct electrochemical reaction in lieu of moving parts to produce electricity has inherent efficiency advantages. PAFCs are realizing efficiencies over 40 percent, and the MCFCs and SOFCs will reach 60 percent efficiency. When used in combined heat and power applications, thermal efficiency greater than 85 percent is possible, particularly with the high-temperature MCFC and SOFC systems. The absence of moving parts results in very low noise levels. The stacking of cells to obtain a usable voltage and power output allows fuel cells to be built to match specific power needs, and the modularity makes capital cost relatively insensitive to scale.
Fuel Cells Links
Clean Power Technologies. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Clean Power Technologies web site provides an overview of industrial turbines, microturbines, reciprocating engines, and fuel cells.
National Fuel Cell Research Center (NFCRC). NFCRC participants envision a fuel cell industry with annual revenues exceeding ten billion dollars by the year 2010. The NFCRC is managed by University of California at Irvine, California.
U.S. Fuel Cell Council. The U.S. Fuel Cell Council is an industry association dedicated to fostering the commercialization of fuel cells in the United States. The Council conducts a full range of technical, educational and outreach activities. Focus areas include: codes and standards, education and outreach, power generation, portable power, and transportation.
World Fuel Cell Council. The World Fuel Cell Council was founded as a non-profit association in 1991 by a number of fuel cell manufacturers and material suppliers. Its objective is to promote the most rapid commercialization of this technology worldwide.
