Fuel Cell Overview
Project lead the way Ohio
Hocking College
Fuel Cell Training Seminar
July 23 – 27, 2007
Fuel Cell Origins
William Grove of England in 1839
developed the first fuel cell
– He combined gases to produce electricity and
water
– Grove called it a “gas battery”
William Grove and his “Gas Battery”
William Grove's drawing of an experimental
"gas battery" from an 1843 letter
Image from Proceedings of the Royal Society
Fuel Cells and Energy
A fuel cell is an electrochemical
device that converts energy
produced from a chemical
reaction into electrical energy
–This chemical reaction is not a
combustion process
Fuel Cells and Energy
More specifically it is a conversion device
that converts hydrogen and oxygen into
electricity, heat, and water.
Chemical Energy  Electrical Energy
How does the Fuel Cell operate? (battery comparison)
similar in converting chemical energy to electrical energy but
different in that
A battery’s reactants
are self-contained
-
+
A fuel cell’s reactants
are supplied externally
H2 in
H2 out
-
+
Air in
Air out
Converting DC to AC
Fuel cells produce direct current, or
D/C, electricity.
Alternating current, or A/C, is the
electrical standard for most uses such as
home or building power.
Another device called a power inverter
is used to change the electricity from
D/C to A/C.
Why The Interest After ~ 160 Years?
US cannot produce enough oil to meet demand, and it
consumes much of it
–Produces only 9% of global supply,
–Has only 3% of global reserve,
–Consumes 26% of world’s oil (20 million barrels / day)
US daily supply increased from 36% (1975), to 55%
(2001), and expected to increase to 62% by 2020
Demand for energy is increasing (estimated to grow by
54% worldwide) due to a changing world economy
(China).
Demand for gasoline is reflected at the pump
Intro to Fuel Cell
Why The Interest After ~ 160 Years?
The growing dependence on oil puts us at
serious risk
Shipment interruption of oil for prolonged
time could disrupt the nation economy (transport
product, drive to work, fly to meetings, heat and
light homes and businesses)
We need alternative energy sources for
homeland security and fuel cells are one of these
sources
Intro to Fuel Cell
More Reasons Why
Air pollution and the environment
– Burned gasoline produces poisonous carbon
monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and unburned
hydrocarbons that cause smog (ozone) and contribute
to climate change and increase in the planet’s
temperature
– One burned gallon of gas releases around 6.5
pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (when
the entire fuel cycle, including production,
transportation, storage, and use are considered)
CO2 From Burning Gasoline
If perfect combustion was produced in a car’s engine,
we would obtain the following:
Gasoline + Oxygen

CO2 + H2O + Heat
In a fuel cell that only uses hydrogen the reaction is:
Hydrogen + Oxygen  H2O + Heat
CO2 From Burning Gasoline
If we burned 20 gallons of gas in a car and
convert our chemical reaction to pounds
2C8H18 +
122 lbs
25O2
 16CO2 + 18H2O
+ 427 lbs 
375lbs + 174 lbs
Fuel cell applications (3 main
categories)
Transportation (cars, buses, recreation
vehicles)
Mobile, small size (laptops, cellular phones,
hearing aids, heart pacemakers)
Stationary, power generation: generators for
homes (can also heat the house and the water
tank), back-up power for hospitals and
factories, power plants
Fuel Cells For Transportation
In transportation applications the
inverter to AC in not needed
When hydrogen is available the
reformer is not needed
Fuel cell applications
Cell phones that don’t quit in mid conversation
because the batteries have died
Laptop computers that run all day without power
cords
Efficient automobiles that emit virtually no
nitrogen oxide or hydrocarbon pollutants
Fuel cell applications
Tiny self-powered gas sensors built on integrated
circuits
Home electrical systems that keep working even if
the power grid fails
Sensors, electronic weapons, and communication
gear for soldiers in the field
Replacement for Li ion batteries in portable
electronic devices
Intro to Fuel Cell
What are the types of fuel cell applications?
Similarities Between Fuel Cells
and Batteries
A fuel cell is very similar to a battery in that
a battery also converts chemical energy to
electrical energy
The electricity produced is DC
Both use an electrolyte to conduct
ions
Fuel Cells and Batteries
Differences
A battery is an energy storage device that has a
fixed amount of chemical energy
A fuel cell will keep producing electricity as long
as fuel is supplied
Fuel cell reactions do not degrade over time
Fuels In a Fuel Cell
Most fuel cells commonly use hydrogen
and oxygen
Because hydrogen is not readily
availably, fuel cell systems often include
another system called a fuel reformer or
fuel processor that extracts hydrogen
from hydrocarbons such as natural gas.
Efficiencies of Energy Systems
System
Energy In
Energy Out
Efficiency %
Incandescent lamp
Electrical
Light
5
Fluorescent lamp
Electrical
Light
20
Solar cell
Light
Electrical
25
Automobile engine
Chemical
Mechanical
25
Nuclear Power
Nuclear
Electrical
30
Steam turbine
Heat
Mechanical
47
Fuel cell
Chemical
Electrical
60
Dry Cell battery
Chemical
Electrical
90
Electric generator
Mechanical
Electrical
99
FUEL CELL TYPES
PEMFC (proton exchange
membrane)
DMFC (direct methanol)
SOCF (solid oxide)
AFC (alkaline)
PAFC (phosphoric acid)
MCFC (Molten Carbonate)
Source: US DOE, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Factors Promoting Fuel Cell
Applications in Cars
If just 10% of cars used fuel cells, US oil imports could be
reduced by over 100 million barrels per year, andmore
than 1 million tons of air pollutants
Fuel cell vehicles are 70-90% cleaner than gasoline
vehicles and produce 70% fewer carbon dioxide emissions
When fuel is pure hydrogen, fuel cell can provide
pollution-free energy (water and heat, in addition to
electricity)
Driving 10,000 miles per year in a car releases
approximately 8,000 pounds of CO2
Intro to Fuel Cell
Why Fuel Cell? (properties)
If just 10% of cars used fuel cells, US oil imports could
be reduced by over 100 million barrels per year, and
more than 1 million tons of air pollutants
Fuel cell vehicles are 70-90% cleaner than gasoline
vehicles and produce 70% fewer carbon dioxide
emissions
When fuel is pure hydrogen, fuel cell can provide
pollution-free energy (water and heat, in addition to
electricity)
Driving 10,000 miles per year in a car releases
approximately 8,000 pounds of CO2
Factors Influencing Fuel Cells
“Carbon Neutral” A growing movement primarily in
western countries promoting a lifestyle that on balance
does not add carbon to the environment
Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations -assigning
mandatory emission limitations for the reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions to the signatory nations
President Bush’s “Twenty in Ten” Plan mandatory
standards to raise production of renewable fuels to 35
billion gallons per year by 2017
Summary
A fuel cell is a battery that produces DC current and
voltage
Most fuel cells use hydrogen which burns cleaner
compared to hydrocarbon fuels
A fuel cell will keep producing electricity as long as fuel is
supplied
The energy efficiency of fuel cells is high when
compared to many other energy systems
There is great interest in fuel cells for automotive and
electronic applications
There will be employment for technicians particularly in
Ohio’s fuel cell industry.
Resources
“Intro to PEM Fuel Cells” PowerPoint
Presentation by Katrina M. Fritz of Case
Western Reserve University, July 2005
Workshop at Stark State University