Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Fuel Cell is an electrochemical device that converts chemical energy directly into electricity and heat as long as fuel is supplied. The Fuel Cell consists of two electrodes: an anode (a negative electrode) and a cathode (a positive electrode), sandwiched around an electrolyte that provides heat and electricity for buildings and electrical power for vehicles, electronic devices, and systems as large as a utility power station and as small as a laptop computer.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell is a fuel cell that uses the chemical energy of hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen gas (O2) as fuels to cleanly and efficiently produce electricity from the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst, without combustion. The Hydrogen Fuel Cell produces the electricity, water, and heat in which a catalyst at the anode separates hydrogen molecules into protons and electrons that takes different paths to the cathode. The electrons go through an external circuit, creating a flow of electricity where the protons migrate through the electrolyte to the cathode, and unite with oxygen and the electrons to produce water and heat that is a big improvement over internal combustion engines and nuclear power plants in which produces harmful by-products.

Alkaline Fuel Cell (or Hydrogen-Oxygen Fuel Cell) is a type of fuel cell that is operated on compressed hydrogen and oxygen, and operating temperature is 150 to 200°C. The Alkaline Fuel Cell uses an alkaline electrolyte such as the potassium hydroxide (KOH) or an alkaline membrane conducted hydroxide ions rather than protons. Originally used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a primary source of electrical energy in the Apollo space program. The Alkaline Fuel Cell is now finding new applications, such as in portable power.

Combined Heat and Power Fuel Cell (CHPFC) is the simultaneous conversion of Hydrogen fuel into electrical energy and useful heat that is concurrent or synchronized production of the usable electric power and thermal energy. A CHPFC is interested in powering houses and buildings, where total efficiency as high as 90% is achievable. In today’s energy market is addressed energy scarcity, global warming - greenhouse gas emissions, as well as energy-saving problems.

Direct Mmethanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) is similar to the PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell or Polymer Electrolyte Membrane) Fuel Cell that uses a proton conducting polymer membrane as an electrolyte. However, a DMFC uses methanol directly on the anode instead of Hydrogen as the fuel, which eliminates the need for a fuel reformer, and operates at approximately 100°C. The Methanol is an easier in transportation and a higher energy density than hydrogen.

Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC) is a type of fuel cell that contains a molten carbonate (CO3) electrolyte, and operates at approximately 650°C. An MCFC is already being used in a variety of medium to large scale stationary applications, where their high efficiency produces net energy savings, where the unit with output up to 2 megawatts (MW) have been constructed, and designs exist for units up to 100 MW.

Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC) is a type of fuel cell in which the electrolyte consists of concentrated phosphoric acid (H3PO4), and operates at approximately 200°C. A PAFC is typically used in modules of 400 kW or greater and are being used for stationary power production in commercial buildings, where waste heat can also be used, and 11 MW units have been tested.

Proton Exchange Membrane or Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell is a type of fuel cell incorporating a solid polymer (a proton conducting polymer) membrane used as the electrolyte, and operates at approximately 80°C. A PEM Fuel Cell is operated at relatively low temperatures and can quickly output to meet shifting power demands so that a PEM Fuel Cell is the best candidates for powering automobiles by which the output is ranged from 50 to 250 kW.

Regenerative or Reverse Fuel Cell (RFC) is a fuel cell run in reverse mode that can function efficiently under both fuel cell mode for electricity generation as well as electrolysis mode for Hydrogen and Oxygen production. A RFC operates like batteries and may be one solution to the problem of storing electricity generated by variable resources that could provide storage of excess energy produced by intermittent renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power stations, releasing this energy during times of low power production.

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) is a type of fuel cell in which the electrolyte is a solid, typically zirconium oxide (ZrO2), and operates at approximately 1000°C. A SOFC is under development for use in a variety of stationary power applications, as well as in auxiliary power devices for heavy-duty trucks. Cells output is up to 100 kW by which the output is ranged up to 100 kW.

Electrolyser is a system or device that uses electricity to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen (Electrolysis), and producing hydrogen gas as a sustainable source of clean energy. (Refer to the Green Hydrogen)

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) or Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) is a type of electric vehicle which uses a fuel cell, generating electric power by hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, which runs a vehicle motor. FCEVs produce only water vapour when being driven, emit no harmful air pollutants. Most hydrogen is currently made from the reformation of non-renewable natural gas in refinery or petrochemical plant, using high pressure steam.

Hydrogen (H) is a chemical element with atomic number (Z) 1, group 1, period 1, and atomic weight 1.008. The Hydrogen (H) is the lightest element, occurring easily in combination with oxygen in water; exists also in acids, bases, alcohols, petroleum, and other hydrocarbons. (Refer to the Chemical Element; Periodic Table)

Blue Hydrogen is the hydrogen (H2) produced from natural gas with a process of steam reforming, where natural gas is mixed with very hot steam and a catalyst that splits into hydrogen and carbon dioxide (CO2), and the CO2 is captured and stored (e.g., Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)). If the CO2 emissions are captured and stored, the process is considered carbon-neutral, and the resulting hydrogen is called the Blue Hydrogen. The Hydrogen is produced over 90% from using fossil fuels (Coal and Natural Gas), and the Blue Hydrogen process requires a lot of energy, 25% more natural gas to make blue hydrogen than used directly for heat.

Grey Hydrogen is derived from natural gas and produced from fossil fuels such as natural gas or methane, that is the most common form of hydrogen production. The Gray Hydrogen is relatively inexpensive and commonly used in the chemical industry to make fertiliser (e.g., synthesise ammonia and its derivatives for agriculture) and for refining oil (e.g., desulfurisation of fractions intended for fuel applications) that accounts from roughly 95% of the hydrogen produced in the world today.

Green Hydrogen is produced by splitting water using electricity generated from the renewable energy or low-carbon sources. The Green Hydrogen is a clean burning fuel that eliminates emissions by using renewable energy to electrolyse water, separating the hydrogen atom. The process of electrolysis process requires water and a big electrolyser and plentiful supplies of electricity with which the electricity comes from renewable sources, then the hydrogen is the Green Hydrogen.

White Hydrogen is a naturally occurring, geological hydrogen found in underground deposits and created through fracking that is created through geochemical processes and released using methods like fracking, or the air. The White Hydrogen is already present in or on the planet and produced from various sources. The White Hydrogen is typically found combined with other elements (e.g., combined with oxygen to make water) and separated through processes like steam methane reforming or electrolysis. (Also, known as Natural Hydrogen)

Hydrogen Storage