This document discusses fuel cell technology as a sustainable and environmentally-friendly energy source. It provides an overview of different types of fuel cells, how they work by converting hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, and their applications, particularly in transportation. While fuel cells can help address issues with fossil fuels and limitations of batteries, the technology still faces challenges like high costs and difficulty storing and distributing hydrogen fuel that must be overcome for widespread adoption.

1. FUELCELL TECHNOLOGY
MEL 5305
Milinda Perera
Department of Physics
University of Colombo

2. Introduction
• World energy consumption
• Fossil fuel is the main energy source at the moment
• Oil and Coal are the world’s most important fossil fuels
The figure shows global primary
energy consumption in 2011
The transportation sector consumes more
oil than any other sector.

3. Why Fuel cell ?
• Crude oil comes to end
• Environment pollution due to emission
• Therefore we need sustainable environmental friendly energy sources.
• Since transportation is the most fuel consumed sector, new energy sources
should be portable as well
• Among other energy sources, Electricity is one of most convenient mode of
energy type that we can generate, store and convert.
• Eg: Electric cars, Solar powered cars, airplanes etc.
• There are limitations in battery operated equipment's.
▫ In case electric cars:
 Limited range
 Long recharging / refueling time

4. Fuel Cell
• Fuel cell converts the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in
the process it produces electricity
• The most important one of a Hydrogen Fuel Cell is that it is capable of staying
alive for a much longer period as compared to the conventional battery until
fuel supply is continuous.
• Fuel cells breaks the limitation of battery operated vehicles and equipment.

5. History in brief

6. Fuel Cell Basics
• Different types of fuel cells available, but basic functionality is similar.
• The main fuel used in fuel cells are Hydrogen and Oxygen. And the chemical
reaction will produce water + heat and very low amount of other emissions
• The anode and cathode contain catalysts that cause the fuel to undergo
oxidation reactions.
• The electrolyte specifically designed not allowing electrons cannot pass
through it, but allowing H+ ions.

7. Fuel Cell Basics Cont.
• Anode side (an oxidation reaction) :
▫ A chemical reaction strips the hydrogen molecules of their electrons and the atoms
become ionized to form H+
• Cathode side (a reduction reaction) :
▫ At the cathode hydrogen ions, electrons, and oxygen (usually from the air) react to
form water
• Net reaction (the "redox" reaction) :
• In addition to electricity, fuel cells produce water, heat and, depending on the
fuel source, very small amounts of nitrogen dioxide and other emissions.
•
• The energy efficiency of a fuel cell is generally between 40–60%, or up to 85%
efficient in cogeneration if waste heat is captured for use.
• Individual fuel cells produce relatively small electrical potentials, about 0.7
volts, so cells are "stacked", or placed in series, to create sufficient voltage to
meet an application's requirements.
•

8. Fuel Cell Types
• There are seven types of popular fuel cells that are currently being researched
1. Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell
▫ There have been over 200 fuel cells of this type already installed all over the world,
in hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, schools, utility power plants
▫ Provides 40% efficiency
2. Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell
▫ Oxygen is pumped into cathode from air
▫ The main types used in vehicles
▫ Operate at low enough temperature.
▫ Fuels must be purified, and a platinum catalyst
▫ Raising costs.
3. Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell
4. Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
5. Alkaline Fuel Cell
6. Direct Methanol Fuel Cell
7. Regenerative Fuel Cell

9. Fuel Cell Powered Vehicles
• A fuel cell vehicle (FCV) or fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) is a type of
hybrid vehicle which uses a fuel cell instead of an engine in combination with a
battery to power its on-board electric motor.
• Available FCVs: Honda FCX Clarity, Hyundai ix35 FCEV, Toyota Mirai
Polymer Electrolyte
Membrane (PEM) fuel
cells used in
automobiles—also called
Proton Exchange
Membrane fuel cells—
use hydrogen fuel and
oxygen from the air to
produce electricity.

10. Conclusion
• Problems with fuel cells
▫ The biggest problem faced is that in order for fuel cells to work, a source of hydrogen
is needed.
 hydrogen is difficult to store and distribute
▫ Fuel cells are expensive.
 complicated to be able to build inexpensive, reliable, and efficient fuel cells
 The membrane of a fuel cell is used as an electrolyte in order to conduct protons. One
especially large stumbling block is the designing of appropriate proton-exchange membranes
for fuel cells. The problem is it is difficult to find a membrane that is impermeable to hydrogen
and oxygen, while still being an efficient conductor of protons.
• Fuel Cells will be the future clean, sustainable power source of the world, but
still the technology has high cost, limitations and problems to overcome.

11. Thank You
• Reference
▫ [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell
▫ [2]
http://www.bluffton.edu/courses/TLC/MontelA/
Montel/Alternative_Energy_Website/Fuel_Cell.h
tm
▫ [3] http://www.carblogindia.com/fuell-cell-
working-in-plain-english/
▫ [4]
http://americanhistory.si.edu/fuelcells/basics.ht
m
▫ [5]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell_vehicle
▫ [6] http://www.ucsusa.org/clean-
vehicles/electric-vehicles/how-do-hydrogen-fuel-