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 What
is hydrogen? Why
is hydrogen? In
History In
Chemistry The
Atom
Atomic
weight Isolution
Uses
Uses in IC Engines
Fuel cells
The
Perodic Table Of The Elememts |
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What
is hydrogen? Why
is hydrogen? In
History In
Chemistry The
Atom
Atomic
weight Isolution
Uses
Uses in IC Engines
Fuel cells
The
Perodic Table Of The Elememts |
HYDROGEN
FUEL CELLS
| A hydrogen
fuell cell is a device that convert hydrogen gas into low-voltage, direct
current electricity by combaning hydrogenand oxygen electrochemically.
This process is the reverse of the electrolytic method which splits water
into hydrogen and oxygen.
In the fuel
cell, the cathode terminal is positively charged and the anode terminal
is negatively charged. A membrane is used in order to divide terminals
in the proton exchange membrane type of fuell cell. At the anode, hydrogen
is split into its electrons and protons (positive hydrogen ions). When
protons pass through the membrane, it creates a flow of direct current
electricity between the terminals. The only byproduct of this process is
water which is formed by electrons, hydrogen ions and oxygen at the cathode.
The efficiency
of a fuel cell is as high as 75 %. There is no N0x, CO, HC emissions, because
hydrogen is not burned in air.Pure hydrogen is used in lower temperature
fuel cells. Platinum catalyst is used in the structure. For example a 40
KW fuell cell which is suitable for automotive applications needs at least
80 grams of platinum catalyst, which is 30-60 times the platinum in today`s
catalytic convertors. It needs time to produce cost-effective, practical
fuel cell for vehicles.
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