Lecture # 12

RENEWABLE ENERGY
TECHNOLOGY

Dr. Muzaffar Ali

Fuel Cells
Statistics of Fuel Cell
Technology
Global fuel cell vehicle unit sales between 2015
and 2020
Germany automotive fuel cell market size,
by application, 2012-2023 (Unit Shipment)
US DOE technical target for automotive
fuel cell
 Fuel Cell Developers 1/2
11

Manufactures fuel cell stacks for use in stationary, portable, and motive applications.

http://www.fuelcells.org/top_200.cgim
 Fuel Cell Developers 2/2
12

Manufactures fuel cell stacks for use in stationary, portable, and motive applications.

http://www.fuelcells.org/top_200.cgim
 Components & Testing
13
Makes the nuts and bolts of a fuel cell, including membranes, catalysts, and carbon
fibers.

http://www.fuelcells.org/top_200.cgim
 Hydrogen Supply
14

Supplies the hydrogen source for fuel cell end-users. Also includes
developers of hydrogen infrastructure and hydrogen storage.
Fundamentals of Fuel Cell
 What is a Fuel Cell?
Hydrogen Oxygen
Fuel Cell
Heat

Electric power
Water
• A fuel cell combines fuel and oxidant electrochemically to produce
electricity
• Two to three times more efficient that an internal combustion engine
• Fuel cell stack is quiet, has no moving parts, produces zero emissions
 Fuel Cell
- an electrochemical energy conversion device
 First demonstrated in principle by British Scientist
Sir Willliam Robert Grove in 1839.
 Grove’s invention was based on idea of
reverse electrolysis.

 To convert the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the
process it produces electricity.
 Battery : the other electrochemical device that we are all familiar.
 A battery has all of its chemicals stored inside, and it converts those
chemicals into electricity too.
 This means that a battery eventually "goes dead" and you either throw
it away or recharge it.
For a fuel cell

 Chemicals constantly flow into the cell so it never goes dead.

 As long as there is a flow of chemicals into the cell, the
electricity flows out of the cell.
 Most fuel cells in use today use hydrogen and oxygen as the
chemicals.
 Fuel Cell Descriptions
 Fuel Cells generate electricity through an electrochemical
process
 In which the energy stored in a fuel is converted directly into
DC electricity.

 Because electrical energy is generated without combusting fuel,

 Fuel cells are extremely attractive from an environmental stand
point.
Parts of a Fuel Cell
 Anode
 Negative post of the fuel cell.
 Conducts the electrons that are freed from the hydrogen molecules so that they can
be used in an external circuit.
 Etched channels disperse hydrogen gas over the surface of catalyst.
 Cathode
 Positive post of the fuel cell
 Etched channels distribute oxygen to the surface of the catalyst.
 Conducts electrons back from the external circuit to the catalyst
 Recombine with the hydrogen ions and oxygen to form water.
 Electrolyte
 Proton exchange membrane.
 Specially treated material, only conducts positively charged ions.
 Membrane blocks electrons.
 Catalyst
 Special material that facilitates reaction of oxygen and hydrogen
 Usually platinum powder very thinly coated onto carbon paper or cloth.
 Rough & porous maximizes surface area exposed to hydrogen or oxygen
 The platinum-coated side of the catalyst faces the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane.
Fuel Cell Operation

 Pressurized hydrogen gas (H2) enters cell on anode side.

 Gas is forced through catalyst by pressure.
 When H2 molecule comes contacts platinum catalyst, it splits into two H+
ions and two electrons (e-).
 Electrons are conducted through the anode
 Make their way through the external circuit (doing useful work such as
turning a motor) and return to the cathode side of the fuel cell.
 On the cathode side, oxygen gas (O2) is forced through the
catalyst
 Forms two oxygen atoms, each with a strong negative charge.
 Negative charge attracts the two H+ ions through the membrane,
 Combine with an oxygen atom and two electrons from the external
circuit to form a water molecule (H2O).
 It consists of three components - a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte
sandwiched between the two.
 Oxygen from the air flows through the cathode
 A fuel gas containing hydrogen, such as methane, flows past the anode.
 Negatively charged oxygen ions migrate through the electrolyte
membrane react with the hydrogen to form water,
 Methane fuel
form hydrogen (H2) &
carbon dioxide (CO2).
⚫ This electrochemical reaction
generates electrons, which flow
from the anode to an external
load and back to the cathode,
 a final step that both completes
the circuit and supplies electric
power.
⚫ To increase voltage output,
several fuel cells are stacked
together to form the heart of a
clean power generator.
Fuel cell working
Graphic showing working of Fuel Cell

http://americanhistory.si.edu/fuelcells/basics.htm
 Fuel Cell Vs. Battery
Basic operating principles of both are very similar, but there are several intrinsic
differences.
Hydrogen fuel cell Galvanic cell (battery)

•Open system
• Closed system
•Anode and cathode are gases in
•Anode and cathode are metals.
contact with a platinum catalyst.
•Reactants are internally consumed,
•Reactants are externally supplied,
need periodic recharging.
no recharging required.
Major sub-systems in a typical Fuel Cell Power Plant
Types of Fuel Cell

✓ Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells-PEMFC

✓ Direct Methanol Fuel Cells – DMFC
✓ Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells- PAFC
✓ Alkaline Fuel Cells – AFC
✓ Solid Oxide Fuel Cells -SOFC
✓ Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells – MCFC
 Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells-
PEMFC
✓ Electrolyte: water-based, acidic polymer
membrane
✓ Also called polymer electrolyte membrane
fuel cells
✓ Use a platinum-based catalyst on both
electrodes
✓ Generally hydrogen fuelled
✓ Operate at relatively low temperatures
(below 100°C)
✓ High-temperature variants use a mineral acid-
based electrolyte and can operate up to
200°C.
✓ Electrical output can be varied, ideal for
vehicles
PEMFC
 Direct Methanol Fuel Cells – DMFC
✓ Electrolyte: polymer membrane (like PEMFC)
✓ Use a platinum–ruthenium catalyst on the
anode and a platinum catalyst
✓ on the cathode
✓ This catalyst can draw hydrogen atoms from
liquid methanol, which is used as fuel instead
of hydrogen, giving the cell its name.
✓ Operate in the range from 60C to 130C
✓ DMFC are convenient for portable power
applications with outputs generally less than
250 W
 Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells- PAFC
✓ Electrolyte: liquid phosphoric acid in a
bonded silicon carbide matrix
✓ Use a finely dispersed platinum catalyst on
carbon
✓ Quite resistant to poisoning by carbon
monoxide
✓ Operate at around 180 C
✓ Electrical efficiency is relatively low, but
overall efficiency can be over 80% if
the heat is used
✓ Used in stationary power generators (100
kW to 400 kW)
 Alkaline Fuel Cells – AFC
✓ Electrolyte: alkaline solution such as potassium
hydroxide in water
✓ Commonly use a nickel catalyst
✓ Generally fuelled with pure hydrogen and
oxygen as they are very sensitive
to poisoning
✓ Typical operating temperatures are around
70C
✓ Can offer high electrical efficiencies
✓ Used on NASA shuttles throughout the space
program
 Solid Oxide Fuel Cells -SOFC
✓ Electrolyte: solid ceramic, such as stabilized
zirconium oxide
✓ A precious metal catalyst is not necessary
✓ Can run on hydrocarbon fuels such
as methane
✓ Operate at very high temperatures, around
800C to 1,000C
✓ Best run continuously due to the high operating
temperature
✓ Popular in stationary power generation
 Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells – MCFC

✓ Electrolyte: a molten carbonate salt

suspended in a porous ceramic matrix
✓ A precious metal catalyst is not necessary
✓ Can run on hydrocarbon fuels such as
methane
✓ Operate at around 650C
✓ Best run continuously due to the high
operating temperature
✓ Most fuel cell power plants of megawatt
capacity use MCFCs, as do large combined
heat and power plants
 Fuel cell technologies

• Comparison of the most common technologies

PEMFC DMFC AFC PAFC MCFC SOFC

H2 H2, CO, CH4, H2, CO, CH4,

Fuel H2 CH3OH H2
hydrocarbons hydrocarbons
Potasium Phosporic Lithium and Solid oxide
Solid polymer Solid polymer
Electrolyte hydroxide acid (H3PO4 potassium (yttria,
(usually Nafion) (usually Nafion)
(KOH) solution) carbonate zirconia)

Charge carried in
H+ H+ OH- H+ CO 32- O2-
electrolyte
Operational
temperature (oC) 50 – 100 50 - 90 60 - 120 175 – 200 650 1000
Efficiency (%) 35 – 60 < 50 35 – 55 35 – 45 45 – 55 50 – 60
Unit Size (KW) 0.1 – 500 << 1 <5 5 – 2000 800 – 2000 > 2.5
Installed Cost ($/kW) 4000 > 5000 < 1000 3000 – 3500 800 – 2000 1300 - 2000

• All fuel cells occupy a lot of space. Much more than any of the other types of
microsources
Types of fuel cells
Temp.°C Application
 Alkaline (AFC) 70-90 Space
 Phosphoric Acid 150-210 Commercially available
(PAFC)
 Solid Polymer 70-90 Automotive application
(PEMFC)
 Moltan Carbonate 550-650 Power generation
(MCFC)
 Solid Oxide 1000-1100 Power generation
(SOFC)
 Direct Methanol 70-90 Under development
(DMFC)
Fuel cell types in more details
Fuel Cells Applications
Applications of Fuel cells
Automotive fuel cells (PEM)

Honda FCX Clarity

GM’s skateboard
chassis idea.
Personal Fuel cells Cars
Mercedes-Benz: Citaro fuel cell bus on the
streets of London. Engine supplied by Ballard.

European Fuel Cell Bus Project, which saw 30 fuel

cell buses operating on the roads of Europe over
the past two years.

Toyota: The FCHV-BUS2 is a

large, low-floor, fuel-cell
hybrid bus.

Since its exhaust is free of

NOx (nitrogen oxides) and
PM (particulate matter), it
can help improve air quality
in urban areas.
Fuel cells for portable power (DMFC)
Casio: World's smallest fuel cell for use in
laptop PC. The polymer electrolyte fuel
can power a typical laptop computer for
eight to 16 hours.

Samsung Electronics: 100Wh laptop PC fuel cell using 100cc of methanol solution, enabling
continuous usage for more than 10 hours without recharging.
 Fuel cells for stationary power (SOFC)
UTC Fuel Cells: 5kW
fuel cell power plants
for backup power for
telecommunications
towers, power for small
businesses, and
residential use.

UTC Fuel Cells: (PureCell™ 200) 200kW of electricity and

900,000 BTUs of usable heat. This system provides clean,
reliable power at locations including a New York City police
station, a major postal facility in Alaska, a credit-card
processing system facility in Nebraska, and a science center
in Japan.
HOW DO FUEL CELL CARS WORK?
Components of a fuel
cell car
• Fuel cell stack
• Balance of plant: Air
compressor, hydrogen
recirculating pump,
air and hydrogen
humidifiers, coolant
pump and radiator
• Hydrogen storage
tank
• Battery for hybrid
operation
• Boost converter and
inverter
• Traction motor and
transmission
• Computer for control
and management
THE HONDA FCX CLARITY

Engine: 100 kW, 57 liters, 148 lb

Fuel economy: 74 mpgge
Range: 280 miles
H2 Storage: 4.1 kg at 5000 psi
 Attractive characteristics of Fuel Cell

 High energy conversion efficiency

 Modular design
 Very low chemical and acoustical pollution
 Fuel flexibility
 Cogeneration capability
 Rapid load response
 Pros and Cons of Fuel Cells

1. Higher efficiency compared to IC engines

Advantages
2. Zero emissions at the point-of-use
of Fuel Cells
3. No moving parts in the stack, so quieter
1. Cost (materials, labor, economy of scale)
Challenges
2. Durability (membrane, catalyst)
Facing Fuel
Cells 3. Lack of H2 Infrastructure: H2 is difficult to
produce, transport, and store
 Self Study

 Fuel Cell Technology in Pakistan

 Potential and Projects
 Research and Development in industries and Universities
 Policy—Future Plans
THANKS