A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device. It produces electricity from external supplies of fuel (on the anode side) and oxidant (on the cathode side). These react in the presence of an electrolyte. Generally, the reactants flow in and reaction products flow out while the electrolyte remains in the cell. Fuel cells can operate virtually continuously as long as the necessary flows are maintained. Fuel cells differ from batteries in that they consume reactants, which must be replenished, while batteries store electrical energy chemically in a closed system. Additionally, while the electrodes within a battery react and change as a battery is charged or discharged, a fuel cells electrodes are catalytic and relatively stable. Fuel cells are very useful as power sources in remote locations, such as spacecraft, remote weather stations, large parks, rural locations, and in certain military applications. A fuel cell system running on hydrogen can be compact, lightweight and has no major moving parts. Because fuel cells have no moving parts, and do not involve combustion, in ideal conditions they can achieve up to 99.9999% reliability. This equates to less than one minute of down time in a six year period. This book presents new leading-edge research in the field.
Preface; Qualification of Fuel Cell Membrane Electrode Assemblies; Power and Energy Efficiency Analysis of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) from Single Cell, Fuel Cell Stack to DMFC System; Experimental Activity on a Large SOFC Generator; Alternative Sulfonated Polymers to Nafion for PEM Fuel Cell; A Potential Alternative in the Electric Utility; Microfabrication Techniques: Useful Tools for Miniaturising Fuel Cells; Technical H2 Electrodes for Low Temperature Fuel Cells; PEM Fuel Cell Modelling; Surface Functionalisation of Carbon Catalyst-Support for PEM Fuel Cells: A Review; A Study on the Role of Carbon Support Materials for Fuel-Cell Catalysts; Developments of Alkaline Solid Polymer Electrolyte Membranes Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol and Their Applications in Electrochemical Cells; Index.