What are the chemical reactions occur in the alkaline fuel cell?

Chemical Reactions in an Alkaline Fuel Cell. In AFCs, the oxygen reacts at the cathode to produce either hydroxide (OH-) or a carbonate ion (CO32-), depending upon the electrolyte composition. The ion travels through the electrolyte to react with hydrogen at the cathode.

What are the advantages of alkaline fuel cells?

The primary advantages of alkaline membrane fuel cells compared to traditional PEM fuel cells center on increased materials stability at high pH (allowing for non-precious catalysis), increased electrocatalytic activity in alkaline conditions (particularly for organic fuels such as methanol or ethanol), increased fuel …

How does fuel cell work?

Fuel cells work like batteries, but they do not run down or need recharging. They produce electricity and heat as long as fuel is supplied. The protons migrate through the electrolyte to the cathode, where they unite with oxygen and the electrons to produce water and heat.

How does an alkaline hydrogen oxygen fuel cell work?

In an alkaline hydrogen–oxygen fuel cell, the construction is quite similar, but it is hydroxide ions (OH–) that migrate in the potassium hydroxide solution electrolyte. The two gases are stored, and when extra electricity or heat needed, the fuel cell can then be re–run using the stored gaseous fuel.

Which fuel cell has highest efficiency?

Alkaline Fuel Cells Operating at 60-70ºC (140-158ºF), AFCs are among the most efficient type of fuel cells, reaching up to 60% efficiency and up to 87% combined heat and power. Both the US and Russian/Soviet spaceships used alkaline fuel cells to produce electricity and drinking water for astronauts.

What is an alkaline fuel cell made of?

description and uses. These are devices that, by definition, have an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide as the electrolyte. The fuel is almost always hydrogen gas, with oxygen (or oxygen in air) as the oxidizer. However, zinc or aluminum could be used…

What are the disadvantages of alkaline fuel cell?

The disadvantage of this fuel cell type is that it is easily poisoned by carbon dioxide (CO2). In fact, even the small amount of CO2 in the air can affect this cell’s operation, making it necessary to purify both the hydrogen and oxygen used in the cell. This purification process is costly.

Why are hydrogen engines a bad idea?

Hydrogen fuel cells have bad theoretical and practical efficiency. Hydrogen storage is inefficient, energetically, volumetrically and with respect to weight. It has a horrible well-to-wheel efficiency as a result. Easy ways to get large quantities of hydrogen are not ‘cleaner’ than gasoline.

What are the disadvantages of using hydrogen as a fuel?

What are the Disadvantages of Hydrogen Fuel Cells?

• Hydrogen Extraction.
• Investment is Required.
• Cost of Raw Materials.
• Regulatory Issues.
• Overall Cost.
• Hydrogen Storage.
• Infrastructure.
• Highly Flammable.

Can fuel cell efficiency be improved?

In a new study, scientists have designed tri-metallic electrocatalysts for hydrogen fuel cells that theoretically improve in both areas, outperforming the best platinum-based catalysts to date. …

How can you increase the efficiency of a fuel cell?

“We found that compression makes platinum much more active. We observed a 90 per cent enhancement in the ability of platinum to reduce oxygen in water. This could improve the efficiency of hydrogen fuel cells,” he said. The findings were published in the journal Science.