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A FUEL CELL FUTURE! Understanding how Hydrogen Fuel Cells work and their potential to revolutionise transportation Nicola Ruston, Mark Ormerod and Zoe Robinson School of Physical and Geographical Sciences, Keele University Our transport choices have a huge impact on climate change. The average car in the UK today emits nearly 200 grams of carbon dioxide for every kilometre travelled. On average we each travel nearly 10,000 km by car every year. That adds up to more than 1.5 tons of CO2 emitted per person each year just for travelling by car! We can make a huge difference to climate change by changing the way we travel, and by choosing cleaner cars! Different Types of Fuel Cells... What is a Fuel Cell?... A fuel cell is a device that uses fuel (typically hydrogen or a hydrogen-rich fuel) and oxygen to create electricity by an electrochemical process. A single fuel cell consists of an electrolyte and two catalyst-coated electrodes (a porous anode and cathode). There are several different kinds of fuel cells, but Proton Exchange Membrane (or Polymer Electrolyte Membrane) (PEM) fuel cells are the type used in vehicles. A PEM fuel cell uses HYDROGEN fuel and OXYGEN from the air to produce electricity. and how does it work?... A PEM fuel cell uses a simple electrochemical reaction to combine hydrogen and oxygen into water, producing an electric current in the process. How the PEM Fuel Cell Works 1. At the anode, on the surface of the platinum-based catalyst, hydrogen molecules are dissociated into H atoms and lose their electron forming protons (H+). 2. The solid polymer electrolyte is a proton conductor and allows protons to pass through it, but not electrons. As a result protons pass directly through the electrolyte to the cathode, while the electrons flow round an external circuit There are several different types of fuel cells. Fuel cells are usually classified by their operating temperature and the type of electrolyte they use. The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) operates at high temperatures and is particularly suited to stationary power generation and are extremely efficient producing useful heat. PEM fuel cells operate at low temperature and are particularly suited to small portable applications and for powering vehicles. Fuel Cells 5. The protons react with the oxygen ions to form water, which is the only product formed: 2 H+ + O2- H2O HYDROGEN - The Fuel of the Future Advantages of using hydrogen Hydrogen has many advantages over other AND most importantly... fuels, it is; When hydrogen burns it • non-toxic produces only water – • renewable therefore it does not pollute the atmosphere or • clean contribute to global • more energy efficient than fossil fuels warming! contains more energy per kg. …But how safe is Hydrogen? Since any fuel we use is flammable, it is inherently dangerous. However hydrogen is non-toxic, so it is not harmful to breathe and is also so light that it scatters immediately upward when there is a leak, rather than pooling about, polluting groundwater, and soaking into clothes. When hydrogen is handled with care appropriate to any gaseous fuel, it is actually far safer than fuels in standard use today! Visit our website: www.esci.keele.ac.uk/sfs Combustion Engine Fuel cells have several benefits over conventional combustion-based technologies currently used in many power plants and in vehicles. They produce much smaller quantities of greenhouse gases and none of the air pollutants that create smog and cause health problems. If pure hydrogen is used as a fuel, fuel cells emit only heat and water as a by-product. Fuel cell powered vehicles are three times more efficient than internal combustion engines, which only operate at 1016% efficiency. 3. As they flow round the external circuit, the electrons produce an electrical current. This current can power any electrical device (such as an electric motor or a light bulb). 4. At the cathode oxygen molecules are dissociated to form oxygen atoms, which gain electrons to form oxygen ions (O2-) vs. Fuel Cell Vehicles Although fuel cell vehicles are not expected to reach the mass market before 2010, this technology has the potential to massively reduce energy use and emissions responsible for climate change Like battery-electric vehicles, FCVs are powered by electric motors. But while battery electric vehicles use electricity from an external source (and store it in a battery), FCVs create their own electricity on-board the vehicle, using hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air. “Hydrogen cars are not only the future, they are here, now!” Ford, GM, Honda, Toyota, and Mercedes Benz have all already demonstrated fuel cell vehicles (Under the hood of the GM HydroGen3 ) (DaimlerChrysler's F-Cell AClass Mercedes) (Hydrogen refuelling station ) (General Motor's fuel-cell HydroGEN3 prototype) A CLEANER FUTURE FOR BUSES In January 2007, London completed a trial for the first generation of zero-emission fuel cell buses! REMEMBER… Energy is required to produce hydrogen, so for fuel cell vehicles to be truly "zero emission", the hydrogen fuel must be produced using a renewable energy source, such as hydro, wind or solar power. ‘Being Greener and Cleaner’ project contact details Dr Zoe Robinson [email protected] Prof. Mark Ormerod [email protected] Nicola Ruston [email protected] (01782) 734303 (01782) 733475 (01782) 733161