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Working Of Fuel Cells

 




In a conventional power plant, fuel and air enter the power plant and products of combustion leave the unit. There is also a transfer of  heat to the cooling water and work is done in the form of electrical energy. The fuel cell accomplishes this objective converting the chemical energy of fuel directly to the electricity. In Fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen react to form water. The flow of electrons in the external circuit is from the anode to cathode. Hydrogen enters at the anode side, and oxygen enters at the cathode side. At he surface of  the  ion-exchange membrane the hydrogen is Ionized according to the reaction 

                             2H2 ----------> 4H+  + 4e- 

The electrons flow through the external circuit and the hydrogen ions flow through the membrane through the cathode, where the following reactions takes place :

                           4H+ + 4e- + O2 -------> 2H2O 

There is a potential difference between the anode and cathode, Thus there is a flow of electricity.

At a present, the fuel used in fuel cells is either hydrogen or a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons and hydrogen. The Oxidizer is usually oxygen. However current development id directed toward the production of fuel cells that use hydrocarbon fuels and air. The Fuel Cell is already being used to produce power for space and other special applications. 

Thermodynamics plays a vital role in the analysis, development and design of all power producing systems, including I.C engines and gas turbines as well as power absorbing systems like refrigerators and air conditioners. Considerations such as the increase of efficiency, improved design, optimum operating conditions, environmental pollution and alternative methods of power generation , involve, among other factors, the careful application of the fundamentals of the tehrmodynamics. 


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