FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY:A PROMISING TECHNOLOGY

FOR FUTURE
Sasanka sekhar mohanty
Energy and environmental engineering, chemical department
NIT ROURKELA ,INDIA

ABSTRACT:-
World’s first fuel cell described in the early 1800’s was fuelled with hydrogen. While
hydrogen is still the most common fuels offer several advantages including availability at
lower cost, higher storage density and existing infrastructure .This paper provide an overview
of working of fuel cell and classify the fuel cell based on type of electrolyte .But hydrogen
fuel having some major disadvantages of storage , handling, source is less . hydrocarbon fuel
are easily available and can be used in rural area ,portable application and transportation
application .Next we have done thermal analysis , exergy analysis to get maximum output.

Keywords: hydrocarbon fuel cell, thermodyanic efficiency, exergy efficiency

INTRODUCTION:-
Global warming and air pollution are two cation[9,10]. In the 1960s, General Electric
main challenges that threaten human health[1] (GE) developed the first polymer electrolyte
Fuel cells are being considered as cleaner membrane (PEM) or proton exchange
energy sources due to their low nitrogen and membrane fuel cell[11,12].Fuel cells are
sulfur oxide emissions when compared to usually classified based on their electrolyte:-
fossil fuels[2,3]. A fuel cell is an electro- [13,14] material into five types: phosphoric
chemical device that produces direct electrical acid fuel cells (PAFC), alkalinefuel cells
current from the chemical energy stored in a (AFC), solid oxide fuel cells(SOFC), molten
fuel[4]. The idea of fuel cells was first carbonate fuelcells (MCFC), and proton
described by Sir William Grove in 1839[5]. exchange membrane or polymer electrolyte
Grove devised a hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell membrane PEM fuel cells
that consisted of a platinized platinum (PEMFC)[15,16].Hydrogen is the most
electrode immersed in sulfuric acid[6]. One of commonly used fuel in fuel cell systems (in
the limitations of Grove's cell was the small particular PEMFC) as it has the highest
current it produced as a result of the small current density of all types of fuels[17].
effective area of the Pt electrode in the cell[7]. Hydrocarbons offer many attractive features.
In 1889, Ludwig Mond and his assistant Carl They have higher energy storage density, and
Langer started an experiment to increase the easier to store/transport. The use of
“surface of action” of the cell. They used a hydrocarbons as fuel eliminates the fuel
porous matrix to contain the liquid processor unit, thus, decreases the overall cost
electrolytes[8] .In 1893, Friedrich Wilhelm of fuel cell systems. The advantages of
Ostwald determined the relation between the hydrocarbons appear to be substantial;
different components in a fuel cell: the however, their reaction rates are small[18].
electrodes, the electrolytes, the anions and Hydrocarbon fuels are used in high
temperature operated solid oxide fuel their operating temperature should be
cell(SOFC). In order to exploit the advantages increased if hydrocarbons are the fuel.
of other fuel cells systems such as PEMFCs,

membrane fuel cell are electricity ,water and

C3 H8+6H 2O3CO2+20H++20e-

Oxygen or air enters the cathode and

5O2+20H++20e-10H2O

Overall reaction is:

C3 H8+5O23CO2+4H2O
Fig 1 schematic of fuel cell 2.1.1Alkaline fuel cells(AFC):-
However, the currently used perflouro AFC is the oldest type of fuel
sulfonic acid membranes in PEMFCs cells[24,25].AFC uses a liquid electrolyte
cannot be operated at temperatures beyond solution of potassium hydroxide(KOH) and
90degC. Hence, there is an immense effort H2 as fuel . KOH most conducting of all type
in the literature to develop high alkaline hydroxide[26].Advantages of high
efficiency and low cost[27].first kinetics of
temperature proton. conducting
oxygen reduction is occurred in AFC
membrane[19-21].. .Inexpensive catalyst are used here .On the
anode side nickel used as hydrogen oxidation
2-Fundamental of fuel cell :- reaction and silver for cathode .major
disadvantages of AFC is intolerance in carbon
A single fuel cell is composed of three dioxide .when CO2 present with KOH
components: proton conducting electrolyte ,a electrolyte carbonates are produced[28,29].
cathode and an anode . This layer combination
2.1.2 Molten carbonate fuel cell(MCFCs):-
called the membrane-electrode
assembly[22].The fuel such as hydrogen is MCFC fuel cell operate at the temp
continuously supply to anode where an electro range of 550oC-700oC shown in Fig 2 .The
oxidation reaction in the fuel occurs, and electrolyte is the molten carbonate salt
hydrogen ions and electrons are released .The suspended in a porous ceramic matrix
electrons are forced to move towards the composed of beta-alumina.Anode and cathode
both made of nickel based powders . Oxidant
cathode through an external circuit . The usually O2 mixed with CO2 . MCFCs possess
hydrogen ions diffuse through the electrolyte number of advantages: high efficiency and
membrane towards the cathode . Hence, the can be used as carbon capture and storage
membrane doesn’t only separate cathode from system . They can be coupled to gas turbines
anode but also act as a proton conductive to give extremely efficient power .
medium . At the cathode oxygen is fed 2.1.3 Phosphoric acid fuel cell(PAFCs):-
,oxygen is reduced by electron coming from
cathode .The final product of proton exchange
 Phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC)
are considered to be the most advanced and
the most commercially used in many
countries. The operating temperature of
PAFCs is around 200oC. This temperature is
lower than the operating temperature in
molten carbonate fuel cells and solid oxide
fuel cells, but higher than that in proton
exchange membranes fuel cells. The
electrolyte in PAFCs is phosphoric acid
(H3PO4). Advantage of high stability,
moderate temperature operation, low vapor
pressure, ability to use air as an oxidant and Fig 2 molten carbonate fuel cell
high tolerance for carbon dioxide
Disadvantage of low power density compared 2.1.5 Proton exchange membrane fuel
to conventional combustion engines. cell(PEMFC):-
2.1.4 Solid oxide fuel cell(SOFCs):- Proton Exchange Membranes Fuel Cells
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are (PEM) fuel cells are currently receiving the
high temperature fuel cells that operate at the most interest among all other type cells.
range of 700oC-1000oC under atmospheric or Their remarkable features such as low
pressurized conditions shown in Fig 3[47]. temperature operation, all solid structure,
The most widely used electrolyte for SOFCs easy scale-up and high power density make
is yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ).These
them a promising clean and efficient power
characteristics include: stability in the
oxidizing environment, sufficient catalytic generation technology.The most important
activity for oxygen reduction under operating application for PEM fuel cells is in the
conditions and good electronic automotive industry. The basic elements
conductivity.MnO2 is used as a cathode. For that make up a PEM fuel cell are bipolar
the anode compartment, Ni-YSZ is used as it plates, diffusion layers, electrodes and an
has a dual role of being a catalyst for electrolyte.The typical operating
hydrogen oxidation and being an electrical
temperature for a PEM fuel cell is around
current conductor. SOFCs are considered the
most efficient type of fuel cells, they produce 80 oC. Both the anode and cathode in PEM
high quality heat by products that can be used fuel cells consist of platinum supported on
for co-generations or in combined cycle carbon. The most commonly used fuel in
applications, they do not contain noble metals PEM fuel cells is hydrogen and the oxidant
catalysts and they have a long life expectancy used is air.
which ranges from 40000 to 80000h.
Moreover, the high operating temperature
allows SOFCs to be flexible in terms of fuel s.

Fig 3 solid oxide fuel cell Fig 4 proton exchange membrane fuel cell
2.2 Application of fuel cell:-
2.2.1 Transportation:-
According to the EPA
transportation is responsible for 26% of
the greenhouse emissions due to the
extensive use of fossil fuels. Therefore, it
is very important to find an alternative
power source for vehicles. The
transportation industry is currently
investing in fuel cell systems to reduce the Fig 5 A bus having fuel cell
amount of greenhouse gases emissions.
The shift into cleaner energy sources 3 Thermodynamics of fuel cell:-
accompanied by the need of moving away
McIntosh and Gorte , calculated
from conventional combustion systems has
the Nernst potential for H2 and for a
become a necessity due to global warming.
hydrocarbon (n-butane). They studied the
Nevertheless, hydrogen storage systems
effect of conversion on the equilibrium
still suffer from disadvantages such as
potential for bot hfuels. It was found that
safety issues, being heavy, large and
when hydrogen is used, the potential drops
costly.
by 15% between 10 and 80% conversion.
2.2.2 Stationary application:- However, when hydrocarbons are used, the
potential drops only by 1% over the same
Fuel cells stacks can be used as conversion range for n-butane .
backup power generators in remote
locations. They can also be used as 3.1 polarization curve:-
stationary or stand-alone power plants for
The performance of a fuel cell is
cities and towns or distributed generation
calculated by a polarization curve, which
for buildings. Japan is currently the leader
is the potential of the fuel cell in volts
in installing remote fuel cell systems for
versus the current density (mA/cm2) . the
residential needs including electricity
polarization curve shows a drop in
generation and water heating.
potential as the current density of the fuel
2.2.3 Portable application:- cell increases. This curve could be divided
into three regions: 1) activation, 2) Ohmic
They can be used for many and 3) concentration.
portable applications such as: remote small
size power generation and backup
solutions, auxiliary power units for cars,
and demonstrators[5]. One major
advantage of fuel cells over batteries for
portable applications is the higher energy
density they offer. The supply of hydrogen
in electronic equipment is difficult due to
storage problems. Safety is another
concern when carrying a pure hydrogen in
an electrical equipment. The use of
methanol and liquid fuels instead of
Fig 6 polarization curve of fuel cell
hydrogen for portable systems drawn a
great attention in the recent years. 3.2 Exergy analysis of fuel cell:-
 The anode environment is very The second law efficiency (exergy
complex due to the presence of multiple efficiency) of a fuel cell is defined as the
reacting species simultaneously with ratio of the irreversible power to the
several reactions,surface diffusion and reversible power,this ratio can be
mass transfer processes. These processes expressed
are all governed by the thermodynamics
and the ultimate equilibrium state of the
fuel cell system. Therefore, in order to
assess the efficiency of the fuel cell, it is
necessary to evaluate the maximum
amount of energy available to do useful Using the above equation, the
work . exergy efficiency can be written in the
final form .
3.2.1 Theory and governing equation:-
Exergy is defined as the maximum
possible work that can be obtained from a
system when the system is brought into
thermal ,mechanical and chemical 4 Outlook and future direction:-
equilibrium with its surrounding. The
system environment is usually defined at In the recent years, the research
reference temperature To, pressure po and activities on direct hydrocarbon fuel cells
chemical potential μo . Total exergy is the can be classified into three major
summation of physical and chemical categories: 1)investigating alcohol fuels in
exergy of the same system . Exergy studies PEMFCs, 2) the development of platinum-
will also highlight the inefficiency and the based catalysts and 3) development of
degree of irrversibilities within the fuel membranes and operation. Nafion is still
cell system. the most common polymer used in
PEMFC .Despite its very promising
The specific exergy with chemical properties and excellent conductivity at
composition change is given by the temperatures lower than 90degC, but the
following equation: problem of fuel cross over is still
challenging[16].

5 Concluding remarks:-
There are number of technology
where h is the enthalpy, s is the entropy, T are developed since 1800s for the fuel cell
is the temperature, x is the mole fraction powered by hydrogen . But hydrogen
and is the chemical potential. The having certain limitation such as hydrogen
subscript Po ,TO ,μO are reference pressure extraction is a major problem and its
,temperature and chemical potential storage . So there should be great focus on
respectively . hydrocarbon which is abundantly available
and also having more energy density. This
The enthalpy and entropy made it possible to use them in rural areas
difference for a liquid can be written as, and urban areas where electricity is
respectively, required in modest quantities. hydrocarbon
fuels possess one major disadvantage
when used in lower temperature fuel cells
(PEMFC). Their current densities (reaction
rates) are extremely small. So more
technology should be developed to get
better output .
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