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Fuel Cells - The Basics
By Linda | April 20, 2008
I’m getting rather tired of saying it but the price of oil has again reached a new record high. This week’s “Science Word of the Week” looks at another up-and-coming alternative fuel source; Fuel Cells.
What is a Fuel Cell?
Fuel cells are devices that produce electrical power by converting chemical energy directly to electrical current rather than via a mechanical process such as in an internal combustion engine.
A hydrogen fuel cell, for instance, operate by using the chemical properties of hydrogen and oxygen to create usable electrical current, heat and water vapor. In some ways they can be considered to be a continuously fueled battery, although, unlike a battery, they do not store energy - they convert it from one form to another.
If pure hydrogen is used as a fuel then the only outputs are electricity, heat and water vapor. In this way fuel cells are seen as being significantly more environmentally friendly than other hydrocarbon fueled power sources.
Why don’t we start using fuel cells immediately?
What has to be considered with all fuel options is not only how cleanly and efficiently they operate when they power a vehicle, but what the overall environmental and fiscal impact of producing these systems and fuels is even before they reach your car. This is where things get complicated and defining the true environmental and cost benefits of alternative fuels is a matter being hotly debated.
Other alternative fuel sources are also being explored. To read about them, click below:
Topics: In the News, Technology, Word of the Week |
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April 20th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
[…] I’m getting rather tired of saying it but the price of oil has again reached a new record high. This week’s “Science Word of the Week” looks at another up-and-coming alternative fuel source; Fuel Cells. … Read More […]