TAGO
RE
ACAD
EMY
PUBLI
C
SCHO CHEMISTRY PROJECT REPORT
NAME:- LAXIT YADAV
OL CLASS :- XII SCIENCE
ADD. NO:-9573
BOARD ROLL NO:-
CHEMISRTY TEACHER
SAVITA MAM
CERTIFICATE
This to certify that this” chemistry
Investigatory project” on the topic “ To
study about fuel cell “ has been
completed by LAXIT YADAV of class XII-
SCIENCE under the guidance of SAVITA
MAM in particular fulfillment of the
curriculum of CBSE for the annual
examination of the year 2024-2025
Acknowledgement
I would like to take this opportunity to
thank my chemistry teacher – SAVITA
MAM for encouraging and guiding me in
my project and for providing valuable
suggestions .
I would also like to thank my parents for
their generous support throughout my
schooling.
I believe that this small project will make a
significant impact by inspiring someone
else to continue my reseach .
INDEX
INTRODUCTION
CONSTRUCTION OF FUEL CELL
WORKING OF FULE CELL
TYPE OF FUEL CELL
ADVANTAGE OF FUEL CELL
DISADVANTAGES OF FUEL CELL
APPLICATION OF FUEL CELL
INTRODUCTION
What is a fuel cell?
So, a fuel cell is basically an electrochemical device that
converts energy produced from a chemical reaction into
electrical energy.
Or to be more specific we can say that it is an electrochemical
device that combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity
with water and heat as its by-products.
i.e. Chemical Energy ------------> Electrical Energy.
CONSTRUCTION
• Anode: Negative post of the fuel cell. Conducts the electrons that are freed from
the hydrogen molecules so that they can be used in an external circuit. Etched
channels disperse hydrogen gas over the surface of catalyst.
• Cathode: Positive post of the fuel cell. Etched channels distribute oxygen to
the surface of the catalyst. Conducts electrons back from the external circuit to
the catalyst recombine with the hydrogen ions and oxygen to form water.
• Electrolyte: Proton exchange membrane. Specially treated material, only
conducts positively charged ions. Membrane blocks electrons.
• Catalyst: Special material that facilitates reaction of oxygen and hydrogen usually
platinum powder very thinly coated onto carbon paper or cloth. Rough & porous
maximizes surface area exposed to hydrogen or oxygen the platinum- coated side
of the catalyst faces the PEM.
Working :
A fuel cell generates electrical power by continuously converting the chemical energy of a
fuel into electrical energy by way of an electrochemical reaction. The fuel cell itself has no
moving parts, making it a quiet and reliable source of power. Fuel cells typically utilize
hydrogen as the fuel, and oxygen (usually from air) as the oxidant in the electrochemical
reaction. The reaction results in electricity, by-product water, and by-product heat
When hydrogen gas is introduced into the system, the catalyst surface of the membrane splits
hydrogen gas molecules into protons and electrons. The protons pass through the membrane
to react with oxygen in the air (forming water). The electrons, which cannot pass through the
membrane, must travel around it, thus creating the source of DC electricity.
TYPE OF FUEL CELL
1) ALKALINE FC(AFC)
2) PHOSPHORIC ACID FC (PFC)
3) MOLTE CARBONATE FC (MCFC)
4) SOLID OXIDE FC (SOFC)
➢ ALKALINE FUEL CELL
• This type of fuel cell was been introduced in the early 1960′s. As the electrolyte
used for this device is aqueous alkaline solution like potassium hydroxide, the
procedure for electricity consumption is rather expensive.
• It has
1. compressed hydrogen and oxygen fuel.
2. potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte.
3. 70% efficiency.
4. 150˚C - 200˚C operating temperature
5. 300W to 5kW output requires pure hydrogen fuel and platinum catalyst.
➢ PHOSPHORIC ACID FUEL CELL
• Molten phosphoric acid is the electrolyte used in this type of fuel cell. It operates
at high temperature up to 200 degrees Celsius. It has an efficiency of up to 55%.
This type of fuel cell is most commonly used in commercial cars.
• It has;
1. phosphoric acid electrolyte.
2. 40 – 80% efficiency.
3. 150˚C - 200˚C operating temp.
4. 11 MW units have been tested.
5. sulphur free gasoline can be used as a fuel.
6. The electrolyte is very corrosive
7. Platinum catalyst is very expensive.
MOLTEN CARBONATE FUEL CELL
Molten alkaline carbonate like sodium bicarbonate is used as the electrolyte. They
can produce high powers up to 100 Mega Watts. Thus, they can be used as high-
power generators. They can also be operated at high temperatures up to 650 degrees
Celsius. They are not so expensive in production and hence can be used for
commercial uses. It has an efficiency of almost 55%.
➢ SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL
This is one of the most commercially used fuel cell as they have the highest operating
life. It has a very high operating temperature of 1,000 degrees Celsius. But other parts
of the fuel cell may not be able to withstand at this temperature making it highly
unstable. But when used in a continuous state they can be highly reliable. At high
temperatures the device can produce water in the form of steam which can be easily
transported through steam turbines to produce more electricity, thus increasing the
efficiency of the system. This device is also special in the case where a wide variety
of fuels can be used Most of the petroleum products can be used as the fuel. The
electrolyte used in the cell is called yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ). This electrolyte
is good for large scale power generation and has the same characteristics as all the
other electrolytes.As the device has a very high operating temperature, there are some
disadvantages as well. There may be unwanted number of reactions taking place
inside the cell due to the high temperature. As a result of these reactions carbon dust
and also graphite may be built up on the anode making in insufficient from
reacting with the catalyst.
COMARARISON OF FUEL CELL
ADVANTAGE OF FUEL CELL
• Water is the only discharge (pure H2)
• Higher efficiency than conventional engines.
• Excellent part load characteristics.
• Zero emission.
• Long operating period between failures.
• Negligible noise pollution.
DISADVANTAGE OF FUEL CELL
• CO2 discharged with methanol reform.
• Little more efficient than alternatives
• Technology currently expensive.
• Many design issues still in progress. Hydrogen often created using
“dirty” energy (e.g., coal).
• Pure hydrogen is difficult to handle.
APPLICATION OF FUEL CELL
• Can be used as power sources in remote areas. Can be used to
provide off-grid power supplies.
• Can be applicable in both hybrid and electric
• vehicles.
• Waste water treatment plant and landfill.
• Cellular phone, laptop and computers.
• Hospitals, credit card centres and police
• Vacuum cleaner ,Telecommunication, MP3 players, etc.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://en.wikipedia.org
