Bộ Giáo dục và Đào tạo

Trường Đại học Sư Phạm Kỹ Thuật Tp HCM

Ngành Năng lượng Tái tạo

Năng lượng Hydro và

lưu trữ năng lượng
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Giảng viên: TS. Phạm Thanh Tuân

TP. Hồ Chí Minh năm 2023

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 Chapter 2
Fundamentals and basics

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1. Contents
1. Fundamentals of Hydrogen energy

2. Fundamentals of Fuel cells

3. History of Fuel Cells

4. Types of Fuel cells

5. Fundamentals of Fuel cells

6. Fuel cells Applications

7. Renewable and Hydrogen

8. Advantages and Disadvantages

 1. Fundamentals of Hydrogen energy

Hydrogen is an energy carrier.

It is clean, has a high energy content on mass and can
be used for transportation, heating and electricity
generation.
Hydrogen does not exist as a gas on Earth, it has to be
made.
It can be produced in several ways like electrolysis,
reforming of fossil and biomass fuels, cracking of
hydrocarbons and iron-water reactions.

Hydrogen can also be generated from carbon-neutral

biomasses or carbon-free energy sources like electric,
solar and wind energy.
Applications of Hydrogen
Hydrogen Sources
Renewables-to-hydrogen Technology Pathways
 2. Fundamentals of Fuel cells
What is Fuel Cell?

A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy converter that converts chemical

energy of fuel directly into direct current (DC) electricity. Typically, a
process of electricity generation from fuels involves several energy
conversion steps:

• Combustion of fuel converts chemical energy of fuel into heat.

• This heat is then used to boil water and generate steam.
• Steam is used to run a turbine in a process that converts thermal
energy into mechanical energy.
• Finally, mechanical energy is used to run a generator that generates
electricity.
 2. Fundamentals of Fuel cells
What is Fuel Cell?
A fuel cell is in some aspects similar to a battery.

Fuel Cells
• Requires a constant supply of fuel and oxidant
• The electrodes in a fuel cell do not undergo
chemical changes.
• A fuel cell cannot be discharged as long as the Batteries
reactants-fuel and oxidant-are supplied. • Not Requires a constant supply of fuel and oxidant.
• Hydrogen may be present either in a mixture with • The electrodes in a battery undergo chemical changes.
other gases (such as CO2, N2, and CO) or in • Batteries generate electricity by the electrochemical reactions that
hydrocarbons such as natural gas, CH4, or even in involve the materials that are already in batteries.
liquid hydrocarbons such as methanol, CH3OH • a battery may be discharged, which happens when the materials that
• Another difference between a fuel cell and a participate in the electrochemical reactions are depleted
battery is that a fuel cell generates by product- • Some batteries are rechargeable, which means that the electro-
waste heat and water and the system is required to chemical reactions may proceed in reverse when external electricity is
manage those. applied.
• A battery also generates some heat but at a much lower rate.
 3. History of Fuel Cells
The first observation of a fuel cell effect was made by a
German-Swiss scientist, Christian F. Shoenbein, in 1938

Combustion engines is limited by the Carnot

efficiency and results in unacceptable levels of
atmospheric pollution, whereas the fuel cells,
which directly generate electricity, are highly
efficient, silent, and generate no pollution.
 3. History of Fuel Cells

In 1989 Perry Energy Systems, a division of Perry

Technologies, working with Ballard, a then emerging
Canadian company, successfully demonstrated a polymer
electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell-powered submarine
 3. History of Fuel Cells

The car companies, supported by the U.S. Department of

Energy, picked up on this activity and by the end of the
century almost every car manufacturer had built and
demonstrated a fuel cell-powered vehicle. A new industry
was born.
 3. History of Fuel Cells

The stocks of fuel cell companies, such as Ballard and

PlugPower, soared in early 2000 based on a promise of
a new energy revolution
 3. History of Fuel Cells

The number of fuel cell-related patents worldwide,

but primarily in Japan and the United States, is
increasing dramatically, showing continuous interest
and involvement of the scientific and engi- neering
community.
 4. Types of Fuel cells
• Alkaline fuel cells (AFCs) use concentrated (85 wt%) KOH
as the electrolyte for high-temperature operation (250 0C)
and less concentrated (35–50 wt%) for lower-temperature
operation (<120 0C)
• Polymer electrolyte membrane or proton exchange
membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) use a thin (<50mm) proton
conductive polymer membrane (such as perfluorosulfonated
acid polymer) as the electrolyte.
• Phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs) use concentrated
phosphoric acid (~100%) as the electrolyte.
• Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) have the electrolyte
composed of a combination of alkali (Li, Na, K) carbonates,
which is retained in a ceramic matrix of LiAlO2.
• Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) use a solid, nonporous metal
oxide, usually Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) as the
electrolyte.
• Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is categorized as yet
another type of fuel cell;
5. Fundamentals of Fuel cells
5. Fundamentals of Fuel cells
Focusing on PEM fuel cells and their
operation, design, and applications

The membrane that acts as the electrolyte is

squeezed between the two porous, electrically
conductive electrodes. These electrodes are
typically made of carbon cloth or carbon fiber
paper.
At the interface between the porous electrode
and the polymer membrane is a layer with
catalyst particles, typically platinum supported
on carbon.
Electrochemical reactions happen at the
surface of the catalyst at the interface
between the electrolyte and the
membrane.
5. Fundamentals of Fuel cells
Focusing on PEM fuel cells and their
operation, design, and applications

The hydrogen side is negative and is called the anode,

whereas the oxygen side of the fuel cell is positive and
is called the cathode.
Because each cell generates about 1V, as will
be shown shortly, more cells are needed in series
to generate some practical voltages. Depending
on the application, the output voltage may be
between 6 V and 200 V or even more.
 6. Fuel cells Applica?ons
Because of their attractive properties, fuel cells have already
been developed and demonstrated in the following applications
 6. Fuel cells Applications
Because of their attractive properties, fuel cells have already
been developed and demonstrated in the following applications
7. Renewable and Hydrogen
 8. Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages

• Fuel cells have the potential for a high operating

efficiency.
• There are many types of fuel sources, and methods of
supplying fuel to a fuel cell.
• Fuel cells have a highly scalable design.
• Fuel cells produce no pollutants.
• Fuel cells are low maintenance because they have no
moving parts.
• Fuel cells do not need to be recharged, and they
provide power instantly when supplied with fuel.
 8. Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

Comparison of PVs, Fuel Cells and Batteries

 8. Advantages and Disadvantages

Disadvantages

• Fuel cells are currently costly due to the need for

materials with specific properties. There is an issue
with finding low-cost replacements. This includes the
need for platinum and Nafion material.
• Fuel reformation technology can be costly and heavy
and needs power in order to run.
• If another fuel besides hydrogen is fed into the fuel
cell, the performance gradually decreases over time
due to catalyst degradation and electrolyte poisoning.
Conclusion

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• Oxidation refers to a process in which electrons are removed from
a species. Electrons are liberated by the reaction.
• Reduction refers to a process in which electrons are added to a
species. Electrons are consumed by the reaction.

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• Anode refers to an electrode where oxidation is taking place. More
generally, the anode of any two-port device, such as a diode or
resistor, is the electrode where electrons flow out.
• Cathode refers to an electrode where reduction is taking place. More
generally, the cathode is the electrode where electrons flow in.

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1. Reactant delivery (transport) into the fuel cell
2. Electrochemical reaction
3. Ionic conduction through the electrolyte and electronic
conduction through the external circuit
4. Product removal from the fuel cell

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Câu hỏi ôn tập
1. In general, do you think a portable fuel cell would be better for an
application requiring low power but high capacity (long run time) or
high power but small capacity (short run time)? Explain.
2. Label the following reactions as oxidation or reduction reactions:

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Thank you for joining class

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