Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

HYDROGEN ENERGY
• Hydrogen is a clean, reliable source of energy.

• It is non toxic and can be recycled.
• When burned as fuel it produce energy and
water.
• Hydrogen energy system includes the
following functions
- Production of hydrogen
- Delivery of hydrogen
- Storage of hydrogen
- Energy Conversion.
Hydrogen Energy System
Production of hydrogen
• Hydrogen can be produced by
- Steam reforming of Methane gas
- Partial oxidation and gasification of fuels like
fossil fuels and biomass.
- Electrolysis of water using electricity.
- Decomposing of water using thermochemical
cycles.
- Biological methods like Biophotolysis of water
using the energy of photons and Fermentation.
Storage of hydrogen
• Hydrogen can be stored in the form of
- Gas : Hydrogen is compressed and stored in strong
steel tanks or cylinders.
- Liquid : Hydrogen can be stored as compact storage in
liquid form at low temperature in cryogenic containers.
- Chemical compounds : Hydrogen can be stored at high
densities in reversible metal hydrides. On heating the
hydrides hydrogen is released from the compounds
and can be used.
- Surface storage: Hydrogen is adsorbed/absorbed on
the surface of some materials which has the capability
of adsorption/absorption
Delivery of hydrogen
• Hydrogen produced in centralised locations
can be delivered to the site
— As gas using pipe lines
— As gas using tanks, cylinders or tubes if the
distance is less than 300km.
— As liquid using super insulated cryogenic
tankers if the distance is in range of 1500km.
Energy conversion
• Hydrogen can be converted into useful forms of energy
in several ways
- It can be used in specially designed internal
combustion engines to produce mechanical energy in
the same manner as gasoline, but with high efficiency
and no pollution.
- It is used as fuel in rocket engines.
- It is used in fuel cells to produce electric or thermal
energy
- It can be oxidised (flame combustion-above 3000oC) to
produce high temperature steam.
- It is used for catalytic combustion (up to 500oC) for
cooking applications.
- It is used in metal hydride technologies for storage and
energy conversion.
FUEL CELL
• Fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion
device that continuously converts chemical
energy of a fuel directly into electrical energy.
• Like conventional primary cell it also has two
electrodes and electrolyte. But in fuel cell active
materials are generally supplied from outside.
• Fuel is supplied at negative electrode -anode(fuel
electrode) and the oxidant is supplied at positive
electrode -cathode(oxidant electrode).
• The efficiency of a practical fuel cell is 50% and
average cell voltage is typically 0.7 V
Advantages of fuel cells
1. Quiet in operation as it is a static device
2. Less pollution
3. Efficiency better than thermal power conversion
devices.
4. Can be installed near the point of use.
5. Coolant requirement is minimum.
6. By combining modules, any voltage or current level
can be achieved
7. Compact and need less space.
8. No charging is required
9. Choice of large number of fuels
10. Efficient operation at part loads from 50% to 100%
Fuels used in fuel cells
1. Hydrogen
2. Hydrazine (N2H4)
3. Ammonia(NH3)
4. Gaseous hydrocarbons (methane, propane..)
5. Liquid hydrocarbons (naphtha)
6. Synthesis gas
7. Methanol
Classification of Fuel cells based on
Electrolyte
1. Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC)
2. Alkaline Fuel Cell (AFC)
3. Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell(PEMFC)
4. Molten carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC)
5. Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)
Fuel Cell Electrolyte Operating Output
Type Temperature voltage
PAFC Phosphoric acid 150o C - 200o C 1.23 V
AFC 40% aqueous KOH 90o C - 100o C 0.8 V
PEMFC Solid polymer 50o C - 100o C 1.23 V
MCFC Molten Carbonate of alkali metals 600o C - 700o C 0.8 V
SOFC Solid oxides (ceramics) 700o C - 1000o C 0.63 V

Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC)
Alkaline Fuel Cell (AFC)
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel
Cell (PEMFC)
Molten carbonate cell (MCFC)
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)
Fuel Cell Anode reaction Mobile Cathode reaction
Type ion
PAFC H2 -> 2H+ + 2e- H+ ½ O2+ 2H+ +2e- -> H2O
AFC H2 + 2OH- -> 2H2O + 2e- OH- ½ O2+ H2O+2e- -> 2OH-
PEMFC H2 -> 2H+ + 2e- H+ ½ O2+ 2H+ +2e- -> H2O
MCFC H2O + CO32- -> H2O + CO2 + 2e- CO32- ½ O2 + CO2 + 2e- -> CO32-
SOFC H2 + O2- -> H2O + 2e- O2- ½ O2 +2e- -> O2-

Conversion efficiency of fuel cell
Polarization of fuel cells
• Reaction rate loss due to activation polarization: it is
related to activation energy barrier for electron transfer
process at electrode. Certain energy is required to emit
sufficient number of electrons from electrodes. It can be
reduced by using catalysts and increasing the operating
temperature.
• Resistance loss due to internal resistance polarisation: at
larger currents, there is additional loss due to internal
resistance of bulk electrolyte and contact resistance
between electrode and electrolyte. It can be reduced by
concentrated electrolyte, increasing the operating
temperature and using proper spacing of electrodes.
• Concentration polarisation loss: This is related to mass
transport within cell and is caused by difference in
concentration of electrolyte at electrodes. It can be
reduced by concentrated electrolyte, increasing the
operating temperature.
V I chara of Fuel Cell
Fuel cell Power Plant

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HYDROGEN ENERGY

• Hydrogen is a clean, reliable source of energy.

PAFC Phosphoric acid 150o C - 200o C 1.23 V

AFC 40% aqueous KOH 90o C - 100o C 0.8 V

PEMFC Solid polymer 50o C - 100o C 1.23 V

MCFC Molten Carbonate of alkali metals 600o C - 700o C 0.8 V

SOFC Solid oxides (ceramics) 700o C - 1000o C 0.63 V

PAFC H2 -> 2H+ + 2e- H+ ½ O2+ 2H+ +2e- -> H2O

PEMFC H2 -> 2H+ + 2e- H+ ½ O2+ 2H+ +2e- -> H2O

SOFC H2 + O2- -> H2O + 2e- O2- ½ O2 +2e- -> O2-

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