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Hydrogen Fuel Cell. By: Matthew Buza. Time for a Change. Whats wrong with what we have now? What are the alternatives? The benefits with developing Hydrogen Fuel Cells, and what good will it bring. What exactly is a hydrogen fuel cell.
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Hydrogen Fuel Cell By: Matthew Buza
Time for a Change • Whats wrong with what we have now? • What are the alternatives? • The benefits with developing Hydrogen Fuel Cells, and what good will it bring. • What exactly is a hydrogen fuel cell. • Breakdown of specific systems, the details behind the magic. • What are the commercial applications of these systems. • How they will work to help us in the future.
When its your Time? • We have come to the realization that oil and petroleum energy sources have to go, including coal. • Problem is that the infrastructure is set for petroleum resources, and stubborn to change. • Third world nations are nowhere near changing from the cheap and easy oil energy sources. Not in their interest. • Money and time will be needed to change this, major effort must be taken by whole world. • President Bush, call for alternative fuels and specifically fuel cells.
Problems? • Main problem is the pollution of greenhouse gases. Causing destruction to the o-zone. • Problems with greenhouse effects and global warming. And rising sea levels. • Human Health, with asthma, lung and repertory problems, possible connection with illness, and speculation of cancer.
What alternatives do we have? • Nuclear Power: Most efficient, lots of energy, with little waste. Problem: the waste is very dangerous, public fear. • Solar Power: Cheaper, good amounts of energy, long life, no waste. Problem: Too big to be practical, too many for large scale use. • Wind-Turbine: Little to no danger with use, good amount of energy Problem: Too many to be effective, unsightly, subject to weather. • Fuel Cells: Powerful, simple design, transferable (size), lots of power, waste is water, lots of development with government and NASA. Problem: save transfer of hydrogen.
Why Fuel Cells? • Termed the “Micro chip of the energy industry” • Reasonable to expect almost every power producing device in the world to be replaced by fuel cell devices in the next 50-80 years. • Market potential is in the Trillions for such an endeavor. • Two important Advantages of fuel cells is that they produce no pollution emissions or greenhouse gases, do not require supplies of foreign oil. • Needs Hydrogen and Oxygen, and emits water. • Biologically Friendly, Slow down the pollution, and begin to change the destruction.
What is a Hydrogen Fuel Cell? • A Fuel Cell is an Electrochemical device that produces electricity. • That’s Right it’s a BATTERY!!! • Unlike a battery the reaction is sustained as long as the cell is being supplied by fuel. • The reaction happens at relatively low temperatures, and no combustion takes place in the fuel cell. • In the Fuel cell the hydrogen is the primary fuel. When the hydrogen is introduced a chemical reaction between hydrogen and air produces electricity, pure water and some heat. • The electricity is driven through a motor which powers your device. The electricity comes back to form the water with the H+ ions and the oxygen.
Types of Fuel Cells • Phosphoric Acid: very popular in commercial use today • Motlen Carbonate (MCFC): liquid solution of lithium, sodium, and/or potassium carbonates. Promise is high efficiency, but high temps. • Alkaline: Widely used in military and NASA. Every mission from Gemini to now, has this type of fuel cell on it for water/ electricity • PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane): Operates at low temperatures, and has a very high power density. Can vary power output quickly to meet power demands • good for light duty vehicles, buildings, and possibly rechargeable batteries. • Membrane is a thin plastic sheet that allows the H+ ions to flow through. • Membrane is coated on both sides by dispersed metal alloy, (Platinum). • Electrolyte is a solid organic polymer, helps with corrosion, and management problems.
The Hydrogen Fuel Cycle Anode: H2(g) -> 2H+(aq) + 2e- Cathode: ½O2(g) + 2H+(aq) + 2e- -> H2O(l)
What can it be used for? • The Fuel Cell produces electricity directly from hydrogen fuel, it can be used for anything that uses power in the form of electricity, rotary power or heat. • They can be made to be small enough to power a cellular phone or large enough to power a town. The benefit is that the design of the system does not change. • Therefore the markets for fuel cells is virtually unlimited.
Challenges ahead. • The cost to make the systems, the cost of development and adaptation. The catalysts require expensive precious-metal catalysts, and others need to be resistant to very high temperatures. • Durability and Dependability, the high temperatures cells are prone to breakdown, need efective water management systems to operate efficiently. • Fuel Issues: • Production • Delivery • Storage • Saftey • Public Acceptance, and consumer embrace of the products.