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Alternative Sources of Energy— An Introduction to Fuel Cells By E.A. Merewether Abstract Fuel cells are important future sources of electrical power and could contribute to a reduction in the amount of petro- leum imported by the United States. They are electrochemi- cal devices similar to a battery and consist of a container, an anode, a cathode, catalysts, an intervening electrolyte, and an attached electrical circuit. In most fuel cell systems, hydro- gen is supplied to the anode and oxygen to the cathode which results in the production of electricity, water, and heat. Fuel cells are comparatively efficient and reliable, have no moving parts, operate without combustion, and are modular and scale- able. Their size and shape are flexible and adaptable. In opera- tion, they are nearly silent, are relatively safe, and generally do not pollute the environment. During recent years, scientists and engineers have developed and refined technologies relevant to a variety of fuel cells. Types of fuel cells are commonly identified by the composition of their electrolyte, which could be either phosphoric acid, an alkaline solution, a molten carbonate, a solid metal oxide, or a solid polymer membrane. The elec- trolyte in stationary power plants could be phosphoric acid, molten carbonates, or solid metal oxides. For vehicles and smaller devices, the electrolyte could be an alkaline solution or a solid polymer membrane. For most fuel cell systems, the fuel is hydrogen, which can be extracted by several procedures from many hydrogen-bearing substances, including alcohols, natural gas (mainly methane), gasoline, and water. There are important and perhaps unresolved technical problems associated with using fuel cells to power vehicles. The catalysts required in several systems are expensive metals of the platinum group. Moreover, fuel cells can freeze and not work in cold weather and can be damaged by impacts. Storage tanks for the fuels, particularly hydrogen, must be safe, inex- pensive, of a reasonable size, and contain a supply sufficient for a trip of several hundred miles. Additional major problems will be the extensive and costly changes in the national infra- structure to obtain, store, and distribute large amounts of the fuels, and in related manufacturing. Introduction This report describes and compares fuel cells and is one of a series of reports from the Energy Program of the U.S. Geological Survey prepared in response to requests from the public for information regarding contemporary sources of power and unconventional sources of electricity. The Energy Program is concerned mainly with resources of natural, energy-rich materials, particularly with accumulations of coal, crude oil, natural gas, and uranium minerals. However, the Program also includes investigations of less developed sources of energy, including deposits of tar sand, oil shale, and biomass. Additionally, there are tentative plans to review the energy potential of hydropower and gas-to-liquids tech- nology as well as areas that might supply geothermal, solar, or wind power. A fuel cell is an electrochemical device, similar to a bat- tery, that generally combines hydrogen from any of several sources and oxygen (which can come from air) to produce electricity, heat, and water (Baird and Hayhoe, 1993). Basi- cally, a fuel cell is composed of an anode (a negative elec- trode) and a cathode (a positive electrode), which are sepa- rated by a liquid or solid electrolyte (fig. 1). Generally, the electrodes are permeable or contain channels that distribute hydrogen or other substances and oxygen. The electrodes are frequently accompanied by catalysts, commonly platinum or palladium (Geyer, 2000). In most fuel cells, hydrogen atoms enter the cell at the anode where their electrons are removed, producing direct current electricity and positively charged hydrogen ions (cations). Direct current can be converted to alternating current by an inverter. The electrons flow through an external circuit that extends from the anode to the cath- ode. The external circuit can include electric motors, lighting systems, or other electrical devices. The hydrogen ions travel through the electrolyte to the cathode where they recombine with the electrons and oxygen to produce water and heat (Smithsonian Institution, 2001). Fuel cells are almost endlessly rechargeable and pro- ductive, operate without combustion, have no moving parts, are nearly silent, and have an excellent safety record. ThosePDF Image | An Introduction to Fuel Cells
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