engleski

Fuel Cells: Status of Development and Applications

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) have been demonstrated in almost any imaginable power generation application, yet their commercial availability seems to be elusive. This presentation is an overview of the status of PEMFC stack and system development for various applications, and it discusses the possible reasons for continuous postponement of their commercialization with the emphasis on the technical challenges such as increase in power density, obtaining uniformity of cells in a multi-cell stack configuration, optimal flow field design, operation with low stoichiometric ratios and low humidity gases, understanding and increasing durability, reducing size and weight and most importantly reducing the manufacturing cost. The system issues such as operation at higher temperature, sensitivity to sub-freezing temperature and related engineering solutions, choice of fuel, system complexity and cost will also be discussed. One of the critical issues for fuel cell deployment and commercialization is choice of fuel. PEM fuel cells require hydrogen as fuel which is relatively expensive and is not readily available. Fuel cells may be a technology that will prompt development of hydrogen infrastructure and accelerate a global energy transition toward hydrogen economy.

Fuel cell stack; fuel cell system; fuel cell applications

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