Recent Trends in Fuel Cell Science and TechnologyS. Basu Fuel cell science and technology is evolving fast for the past two decades as it is thought to be an efficient way of transforming chemical energy of hydrogen rich compounds to electrical energy. Although this idea of direct conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy was first demonstrated by Sir William Grove in 1839 using a fuel cell, it was only in the middle of the twentieth century when Bacon's pioneering work led to the use of fuel cell in space missions. The interest in commercialization of fuel cell for civilian use has caught up with government organizations and private corporations for the past decade on account of fluctuating oil prices and environmental concerns. It is well known that the conventional fossil fuel, which is a primary source of gasoline, is not going to last more than a hundred years in the face of ever-increasing demand in the developed and developing countries. Although the reserves of natural gas, coal and tar sands may last another two to three hundred years with the current rate of production, their conversion is not efficient and pollution-free. Thus, scientists all over the world have taken up fuel cell development work in their quest of solution to the energy crises looming largely on global population. This book aims to script the present status of the rapidly developing field of fuel cell science and technology. |
Contents
1 | |
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell | 40 |
Fundamentals of Gas Diffusion Layers in PEM Fuel Cells | 116 |
Water Problem in PEMFC | 129 |
Direct Alcohol and Borohydride Alkaline Fuel Cells | 157 |
Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell Technology | 188 |
Principles and Applications | 217 |
Direct Conversion of Coal Derived Carbon in Fuel Cells | 248 |
Principles Designs and StateoftheArt in Industries | 267 |
Materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells | 286 |
Fuel Cell PowerConditioning Systems | 332 |
Future Directions of Fuel Cell Science and Technology | 356 |
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Common terms and phrases
A/cm² active alkaline fuel cell alloys anode applications battery bipolar plates borohydride carbonate fuel cell catalyst layer cathode cell performance cell voltage ceramic cermet cm² coal converter cost Ćuk converter current density cycloconverter developed doped efficiency electrical conductivity electrode electrolyte energy fabrication flow fuel cell power fuel cell stack fuel cell system fuel cell technology gas diffusion layer graphite heat high temperature humidification hydrogen interconnect ionomer load materials matrix membrane fuel cell metal micro fuel cell Nafion operating temperature output overpotential oxide fuel cells oxygen oxygen reduction PAFC PEM fuel cell PEMFC perovskite phosphoric acid planar platinum polarization polymer porous potential power density power plant Power Sources production proton conducting proton exchange membrane PTFE reactant reaction reduced shown in Fig sodium borohydride SOFC solid oxide fuel Solid State Ionics substrate sulfonated surface technique thermal voltage