Fuel Cell working and

its types
Presented by: Sukhmanjot Kaur
Admission no. L-2017-AE-65-BIV

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 Table of Content
• History
• Introduction to fuel cell
• Working of fuel cell
• Basic fuel cell operations
• Types of fuel cell
• Fuel cell types and their chemistry
• Major technologies of fuel cell
• Sources

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 History
• Invented by Sir William Grove in 1838
• Utilized four cells, each containing hydrogen
and oxygen
• Used to produce electric power
• Commercial use in 1932 by Francis Thomas
bacon
• 1st used by NASA to power space capsules and
satellites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell
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 Introduction to Fuel Cell
• fuel as input and produces electricity as output
• Converts chemical energy of raw materials into
electrical energy
• Similar to electrochemical cells
• Consist of anode and cathode and an electrolyte
• Electrolyte enables movement of protons
• Different from battery- A fuel cell will keep on
producing electricity as long as fuel is available

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 Working of Fuel cell
• General concept of a 𝐻2 -𝑂2 fuel cell

• Electrochemical half reactions of a 𝐻2 -𝑂2 fuel cell:

𝐻2 → 2𝐻 + + 2𝑒 −
1/2𝑂2 + 2𝐻 + + 2𝑒 − → 𝐻2 O

• Electrons transformation through the external circuit

http://www.nfcrc.uci.edu/3/FUEL_CELL_I
NFORMATION/FCexplained/FC_Types.as
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 Working of fuel cell
• A simple fuel cell with platinum electrodes dipped in
sulphuric acid

𝐻2 𝑂2
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 Working of fuel cell

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 Basic fuel cell operations
1. Reactant transport
2. Electrochemical reaction
3. (a) Ionic and (b) electronic conduction
4. Product removal

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 Types of fuel cell
Classification based on type of electrolyte
1. Proton Exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)
2. Phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC)
3. Alkaline fuel cell (AFC)
4. Molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC)
5. Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)

https://www.coursera.org/lecture/energy-
environment-life/fuel-cells-and-hydrogen-
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economy-c0VKy
 Fuel cells – types and chemistry
1. Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC)

• Anode(catalyst Pt/C): 𝐻2 → 2𝐻 + + 2𝑒 −
• Cathode (catalyst Pt/C): 1/2𝑂2 + 2𝐻 + + 2𝑒 − → 𝐻2 O
-Uses a solid polymer electrolyte, usually perfluorosulfonic acid
membrane ( nafion )
-It consists of anode, cathode, proton exchange membrane(PEM)
and gas diffusion layers(GDLs)

https://www.ceb.cam.ac.uk/research/groups/
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 Fuel cell-types…
1. Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC)
Electrode poisoning in presence of O𝐻 −

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Fuel Cells-types..
2. Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC)
• Anode (catalyst Ni) Electrode : KOH solution
2𝐻2 → 4𝐻 + + 4𝑒 −
• Cathode (catalyst MN𝑂2 )
𝑂2 + 4𝐻 + + 4𝑒 − → 2𝐻2 O
• Phosphoric acid electrolyte used
• Operating temp 175-200° C
• Used for heavy vehicles such as buses and
trucks

https://th.fhi-
berlin.mpg.de/th/lectures/materialscience-
11/3/2019 2004/vorlesung_2004/Introduction_to_Fuel 12
_Cells.pdf
 2.Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell
(PAFC).

https://nptel.ac.in/courses/103102015/3
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 Fuel cell-types…
3. Alkaline Fuel Cell (AFC)
• Anode (catalyst Ni) Electrode : KOH solution
2𝐻2 + 2𝑂2− → 2𝐻2 O + 4𝑒 −
• Cathode (catalyst MN𝑂2 )
𝑂2 + 2𝐻2 O + 4𝑒 − → 4O𝐻 −
• 60% efficiency, operating temp 150-200° C
• Electrode poisoning is observed in presence of OH-
• First used in space shuttle by NASA

file:///C:/Users/hp/Downloads/Comparative
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_study_of_different_fuel_cell.pdf
 Alkaline Fuel Cell (AFC)

http://www.nfcrc.uci.edu/3/FUEL_CELL_I
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px
 Fuel cell-types…
4. Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC)
• Anode (Ni) Electrolyte : molten carbonate
2𝐻2 + C𝑂3 2− → 2𝐻2 O + 2C𝑂2 + 4𝑒 −
• Cathode (Ni𝑂2 )
• 𝑂2 +2C𝑂2 + 4𝑒 − → 2C𝑂3 2−
• Molten carbonate salt is used as electrolyte
• Operating temp around 650° C
• Hydrocarbons can be used as fuel

www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/types-fuel-
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cells
 Molten carbonate Fuel Cell
(MCFC)

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Fuel cell-types…
5. Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)
• Anode (Ni/YSZ); Electrode : YSZ
2𝐻2 + 2𝑂2− → 2𝐻2 O + 4𝑒 −
• Cathode (Perovskite/LaSrMnO3)
2𝑂2 + 4𝑒 − → 4𝑂2−
• Uses hard ceramic electrolyte crystal lattice
• Operating temp. 750-1000° C
• Natural gas can be used as fuel
• High efficiency up to 60%

https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/types
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-fuel-cells
 5. Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
(SOFC).

https://nptel.ac.in/courses/103102015/3
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 Major fuel cell technologies
PEMFC PAFC AFC MCFC SOFC

Electrolyte Polymer Liq.𝐻3 𝑃𝑂4 i Liq.KOH Molten Ceramic

membrane mmobilized immobilized carbonate

Charge 𝐻+ 𝐻+ 𝑂𝐻 − C𝑂3 2− 𝑂2−

carrier
Operating 80˚C 200˚C 60-200˚C 650˚C 650-
Temperature 1000˚C

Catalyst Platinum Platinum Platinum Nickel Perovskites

Fuel 𝐻2 , 𝐻2 𝐻2 𝐻2 ,C𝐻4 𝐻2 ,C𝐻4 ,C

Compatibility methanol O

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 Sources

Slide no. References

3,4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell
5 http://www.nfcrc.uci.edu/3/FUEL_CELL_INFORMATION/FCexplained/
FC_Types.aspx

6,8 https://nptel.ac.in/courses/103102015/2;
https://www.edx.org/course/batteries-fuel-cells-and-their-role-in-modern-
society-3

9,11 https://th.fhi-berlin.mpg.de/th/lectures/materialscience-
2004/vorlesung_2004/Introduction_to_Fuel_Cells.pdf
12. https://www.ceb.cam.ac.uk/research/groups/rg-eme/Edu/fuelcells/types-of-
fuel-cells

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 Sources
Slide no. References

13,14 https://th.fhi-berlin.mpg.de/th/lectures/materialscience-
2004/vorlesung_2004/Introduction_to_Fuel_Cells.pdf

15 https://nptel.ac.in/courses/103102015/3

16. file:///C:/Users/hp/Downloads/Comparative_study_of_different_fuel_cell.
pdf

17,18. https://www.ceb.cam.ac.uk/research/groups/rg-eme/Edu/fuelcells/types-of-
fuel-cells
19,20 https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/types-fuel-cells

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 Sources
Slide No. References

6,7 https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/fuel-cell-systems

8,11 https://www.coursera.org/lecture/energy-environment-life/fuel-cells-and-
hydrogen-economy-c0VKy

3,4 https://lagunita.stanford.edu/courses/Engineering/Solar/Fall2013/about

19,20 https://www.edukatico.org/en/news/batteries-and-fuel-cells-for-the-cars-
of-tomorrow-new-online-course-on-edx

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 Thank you!

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