Fuel cells: Problems and solutions

✍ Scribed by Bagotsky V.S.

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 341
• Series: The ECS Series of Texts and Monographs
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The book will extract the most important information on fuel cells, analyze this information, and assess its scientific value and technical importance. It will provide a full yet concise description of all important aspects of fuel cells. The introduction will establish what a fuel cell is and its economic significance. The book will then discuss the working principle of a fuel cell, its history, types of fuel cells, problems, applications, and its place and outlook in internationally.

✦ Table of Contents

FUEL CELLS......Page 4
CONTENTS......Page 8
PREFACE......Page 14
SYMBOLS......Page 16
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS......Page 18
I INTRODUCTION......Page 20
INTRODUCTION......Page 22
1.1 Thermodynamic Aspects......Page 26
1.2 Schematic Layout of Fuel Cell Units......Page 30
1.4 Layout of a Real Fuel Cell: The Hydrogen–Oxygen Fuel Cell with Liquid Electrolyte......Page 34
1.5 Basic Parameters of Fuel Cells......Page 39
Reference......Page 45
2.1 The Period Prior to 1894......Page 46
2.2 The Period from 1894 to 1960......Page 49
2.3 The Period from 1960 to the 1990s......Page 52
2.4 The Period After the 1990s......Page 58
References......Page 59
II MAJOR TYPES OF FUEL CELLS......Page 62
3 PROTON-EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELLS......Page 64
3.1 History of the PEMFC......Page 65
3.2 Standard PEMFC Version from the 1990s......Page 68
3.3 Special Features of PEMFC Operation......Page 73
3.4 Platinum Catalyst Poisoning by Traces of CO in the Hydrogen......Page 76
3.5 Commercial Activities in Relation to PEMFCs......Page 78
3.6 Future Development of PEMFCs......Page 79
3.7 Elevated-Temperature PEMFCs......Page 86
References......Page 89
4.1 Methanol as a Fuel for Fuel Cells......Page 92
4.3 Anodic Oxidation of Methanol......Page 93
4.4 Milestones in DMFC Development......Page 95
4.5 Membrane Penetration by Methanol (Methanol Crossover)......Page 96
4.6 Varieties of DMFCs......Page 98
4.7 Special Operating Features of DMFCs......Page 100
4.8 Practical Models of DMFCs and Their Features......Page 102
4.9 Problems To Be Solved in Future DMFCs......Page 104
4.10 The Problem of Replacing Methanol......Page 106
4.11 Fuel Cells Using Organic Liquids as Fuels......Page 107
4.12 Fuel Cells Using Inorganic Liquids as Fuels......Page 113
References......Page 116
5.1 Early Work on Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells......Page 120
5.2 Special Features of Aqueous Phosphoric Acid Solutions......Page 121
5.3 Construction of PAFCs......Page 122
5.4 Commercial Production of PAFCs......Page 123
5.6 The Future of PAFCs......Page 124
References......Page 126
6 ALKALINE FUEL CELLS......Page 128
6.1 Hydrogen–Oxygen AFCs......Page 129
6.2 Alkaline Hydrazine Fuel Cells......Page 136
6.3 Anion-Exchange (Hydroxyl Ion–Conducting) Membranes......Page 140
6.4 Methanol Fuel Cells with Anion-Exchange Membranes......Page 141
References......Page 142
7.1 Special Features of High-Temperature Fuel Cells......Page 144
7.2 Structure of Hydrogen–Oxygen MCFCs......Page 145
7.3 MCFCs with Internal Fuel Reforming......Page 147
7.4 Development of MCFC Work......Page 149
7.5 The Lifetime of MCFCs......Page 150
References......Page 152
8 SOLID-OXIDE FUEL CELLS......Page 154
8.1 Schematic Design of Conventional SOFCs......Page 155
8.2 Tubular SOFCs......Page 157
8.3 Planar SOFCs......Page 162
8.4 Monolithic SOFCs......Page 165
8.5 Varieties of SOFCs......Page 166
8.6 Utilization of Natural Fuels in SOFCs......Page 168
8.7 Interim-Temperature SOFCs......Page 170
8.8 Low-Temperature SOFCs......Page 174
8.9 Factors Influencing the Lifetime of SOFCs......Page 176
References......Page 177
9.1 Redox Flow Cells......Page 180
9.2 Biological Fuel Cells......Page 183
9.3 Semi-Fuel Cells......Page 186
9.4 Direct Carbon Fuel Cells......Page 189
References......Page 193
10.1 Water Electrolysis......Page 196
10.2 Chlor-Alkali Electrolysis......Page 201
10.3 Electrochemical Synthesis Reactions......Page 204
References......Page 206
III INHERENT SCIENTIFIC AND ENGINEERING PROBLEMS......Page 208
11 FUEL MANAGEMENT......Page 210
11.1 Reforming of Natural Fuels......Page 211
11.2 Production of Hydrogen for Autonomous Power Plants......Page 215
11.3 Purification of Technical Hydrogen......Page 218
11.4 Hydrogen Transport and Storage......Page 221
References......Page 224
12.1 Fundamentals of Electrocatalysis......Page 226
12.2 Putting Platinum Catalysts on the Electrodes......Page 230
12.3 Supports for Platinum Catalysts......Page 233
12.4 Platinum Alloys and Composites as Catalysts for Anodes......Page 236
12.5 Nonplatinum Catalysts for Fuel Cell Anodes......Page 238
12.6 Electrocatalysis of the Oxygen Reduction Reaction......Page 240
12.7 The Stability of Electrocatalysts......Page 246
References......Page 247
13 MEMBRANES......Page 250
13.1 Fuel Cell–Related Membrane Problems......Page 251
13.3 Modification of Nafion Membranes......Page 252
13.4 Membranes Made from Polymers Without Fluorine......Page 254
13.6 Matrix-Type Membranes......Page 256
13.7 Membranes with Hydroxyl Ion Conduction......Page 257
References......Page 258
14 SMALL FUEL CELLS FOR PORTABLE DEVICES......Page 260
14.1 Special Operating Features of Mini-Fuel Cells......Page 261
14.2 Flat Miniature Fuel Batteries......Page 262
14.3 Silicon-Based Mini-Fuel Cells......Page 264
14.4 PCB-Based Mini-Fuel Cells......Page 266
14.5 Mini-Solid Oxide Fuel Cells......Page 267
14.6 The Problem of Air-Breathing Cathodes......Page 268
14.7 Prototypes of Power Units with Mini-Fuel Cells......Page 269
References......Page 272
15 MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF FUEL CELLS......Page 274
15.2 One-Dimensional Models......Page 276
15.3 Two-Dimensional Models......Page 277
15.4 Three-Dimensional Models......Page 278
References......Page 279
IV COMMERCIALIZATION OF FUEL CELLS......Page 282
16.1 Large Stationary Power Plants......Page 284
16.2 Small Stationary Power Units......Page 288
16.3 Fuel Cells for Transport Applications......Page 291
16.4 Portables......Page 296
16.5 Military Applications......Page 300
References......Page 302
17.1 Driving Forces for Fuel Cell Work......Page 304
17.2 Fuel Cells and the Hydrogen Economy......Page 306
17.3 Activities in North America......Page 308
17.4 Activities in Europe......Page 309
17.5 Activities in Other Countries......Page 310
17.6 The Volume of Published Fuel Cell Work......Page 313
17.7 Legislation and Standardization in the Field of Fuel Cells......Page 314
References......Page 315
18.1 Periods of Alternating Hope and Disappointment......Page 316
18.2 Some Misconceptions......Page 318
18.3 Ideal Fuel Cells......Page 319
18.4 Projected Future of Fuel Cells......Page 321
References......Page 323
GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 324
AUTHOR INDEX......Page 328
SUBJECT INDEX......Page 334