Fuel cell systems explained / James Larminie, Andrew Dicks.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Larminie, James.

Contributor:

Dicks, Andrew.

Rosengarten Family Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Fuel cells.

Physical Description:

xxii, 406 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Chichester, West Sussex ; Hoboken : J. Wiley, [2003]

Summary:

Building on the success of the first edition "Fuel Cell Systems Explained presents a balanced introduction to this growing area.

"In summary, an altogether satisfying book that puts within its covers the academic tools necessary for explaining fuel cell systems on a multidisciplinary basis." Power Engineering Journal

"An excellent book... .well written and produced." Journal of Power and Energy

Fully revised and updated, the second edition: Provides an essential guide to the principles, design and application of fuel cell systems. Includes full and updated coverage of fuel processing and hydrogen generation and storage systems. Presents a full and clear explanation of the operation of all the major fuel cell types, and an introduction to possible future technology, such as biological fuel cells Features a new chapter on the direct methanol fuel cell. Now includes examples of the modelling, design and engineering of real fuel cell systems. A clear overview of fuel cell operation and thermodynamics Coverage of the complete fuel cell system including compressors, turbines, and the electrical and electronic sub-systems such as regulators, inverters, grid inter-ties, electric motors, and hybrid fuel cell/battery systems. Assuming no prior knowledge of fuel cell chemistry, this reference comprehensively brings together all of the key topics encompassed by this diverse field. Practitioners, researchers and students in electrical, power, chemical and automotive engineering will continue to benefit from this essential guide to the principles, design and application of fuel cell systems.

Contents:

1.1 Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Basic Principles 1

1.2 What Limits the Current? 5

1.3 Connecting Cells in Series

the Bipolar Plate 6

1.4 Gas Supply and Cooling 10

1.5 Fuel Cell Types 14

1.6 Other Cells

Some Fuel Cells, Some Not 16

1.6.1 Biological fuel cells 17

1.6.2 Metal/air cells 17

1.6.3 Redox flow cells or regenerative fuel cells 18

1.7 Other Parts of a Fuel Cell System 19

1.8 Figures Used to Compare Systems 21

1.9 Advantages and Applications 22

2 Efficiency and Open Circuit Voltage 25

2.1 Energy and the EMF of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell 25

2.2 The Open Circuit Voltage of Other Fuel Cells and Batteries 30

2.3 Efficiency and Efficiency Limits 31

2.4 Efficiency and the Fuel Cell Voltage 34

2.5 The Effect of Pressure and Gas Concentration 35

2.5.1 The Nernst equation 35

2.5.2 Hydrogen partial pressure 38

2.5.3 Fuel and oxidant utilisation 39

2.5.4 System pressure 40

2.5.5 An application

blood alcohol measurement 41

3 Operational Fuel Cell Voltages 45

3.2 Terminology 47

3.3 Fuel Cell Irreversibilities

Causes of Voltage Drop 47

3.4 Activation Losses 48

3.4.1 The Tafel equation 48

3.4.2 The constants in the Tafel equation 49

3.4.3 Reducing the activation overvoltage 52

3.4.4 Summary of activation overvoltage 53

3.5 Fuel Crossover and Internal Currents 53

3.6 Ohmic Losses 56

3.7 Mass Transport or Concentration Losses 57

3.8 Combining the Irreversibilities 59

3.9 The Charge Double Layer 61

3.10 Distinguishing the Different Irreversibilities 63

4 Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells 67

4.2 How the Polymer Electrolyte Works 69

4.3 Electrodes and Electrode Structure 72

4.4 Water Management in the PEMFC 75

4.4.1 Overview of the problem 75

4.4.2 Airflow and water evaporation 76

4.4.3 Humidity of PEMFC air 80

4.4.4 Running PEM fuel cells without extra humidification 83

4.4.5 External humidification

principles 85

4.4.6 External humidification

methods 87

4.5 PEM Fuel Cell Cooling and Air Supply 90

4.5.1 Cooling using the cathode air supply 90

4.5.2 Separate reactant and cooling air 91

4.5.3 Water cooling of PEM fuel cells 93

4.6 PEM Fuel Cell Connection

the Bipolar Plate 94

4.6.2 Flow field patterns on the bipolar plates 94

4.6.3 Making bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells 96

4.6.4 Other topologies 100

4.7 Operating Pressure 102

4.7.1 Outline of the problem 102

4.7.2 Simple quantitative cost/benefit analysis of higher operating pressures 103

4.7.3 Other factors affecting choice of pressure 108

4.8 Reactant Composition 110

4.8.1 Carbon monoxide poisoning 110

4.8.2 Methanol and other liquid fuels 111

4.8.3 Using pure oxygen in place of air 111

4.9 Example Systems 112

4.9.1 Small 12-W system 112

4.9.2 Medium 2-kW system 114

4.9.3 205-kW fuel cell engine 117

5 Alkaline Electrolyte Fuel Cells 121

5.1 Historical Background and Overview 121

5.1.2 Historical importance 121

5.1.3 Main advantages 122

5.2 Types of Alkaline Electrolyte Fuel Cell 124

5.2.1 Mobile electrolyte 124

5.2.2 Static electrolyte alkaline fuel cells 127

5.2.3 Dissolved fuel alkaline fuel cells 129

5.3 Operating Pressure and Temperature 132

5.4 Electrodes for Alkaline Electrolyte Fuel Cells 134

5.4.2 Sintered nickel powder 134

5.4.3 Raney metals 135

5.4.4 Rolled electrodes 135

5.5 Cell Interconnections 137

5.6 Problems and Development 137

6 Direct Methanol Fuel Cells 141

6.2 Anode Reaction and Catalysts 143

6.2.1 Overall DMFC reaction 143

6.2.2 Anode reactions in the alkaline DMFC 144

6.2.3 Anode reactions in the PEM direct methanol FC 144

6.2.4 Anode fuel feed 146

6.2.5 Anode catalysts 147

6.3 Electrolyte and Fuel Crossover 148

6.3.1 How fuel crossover occurs 148

6.3.2 Standard techniques for reducing fuel crossover 149

6.3.3 Fuel crossover techniques in development 150

6.4 Cathode Reactions and Catalysts 151

6.5 Methanol Production, Storage, and Safety 152

6.5.1 Methanol production 152

6.5.2 Methanol safety 153

6.5.3 Methanol compared to ethanol 155

6.5.4 Methanol storage 156

6.6 Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Applications 157

7 Medium and High Temperature Fuel Cells 163

7.2 Common Features 165

7.2.1 An introduction to fuel reforming 165

7.2.2 Fuel utilisation 166

7.2.3 Bottoming cycles 168

7.2.4 The use of heat exchangers

exergy and pinch technology 174

7.3 The Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC) 177

7.3.2 Performance of the PAFC 182

7.3.3 Recent developments in PAFC 184

7.4 The Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC) 187

7.4.2 Implications of using a molten carbonate electrolyte 190

7.4.3 Cell components in the MCFC 190

7.4.4 Stack configuration and sealing 195

7.4.5 Internal reforming 196

7.4.6 Performance of MCFCS 198

7.4.7 Practical MCFC systems 202

7.5 The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell 207

7.5.2 SOFC components 209

7.5.3 Practical design and stacking arrangements for the SOFC 213

7.5.4 SOFC performance 220

7.5.5 SOFC combined cycles, novel system designs and hybrid systems 221

7.5.6 Intermediate temperature SOFCs 225

8 Fuelling Fuel Cells 229

8.2 Fossil Fuels 232

8.2.1 Petroleum 232

8.2.2 Petroleum in mixtures: tar sands, oil shales, gas hydrates, and LPG 233

8.2.3 Coal and coal gases 234

8.2.4 Natural gas 235

8.3 Bio-Fuels 236

8.4 The Basics of Fuel Processing 238

8.4.1 Fuel cell requirements 238

8.4.2 Desulphurisation 239

8.4.3 Steam reforming 241

8.4.4 Carbon formation and pre-reforming 244

8.4.5 Internal reforming 246

8.4.6 Direct hydrocarbon oxidation 248

8.4.7 Partial oxidation and autothermal reforming 248

8.4.8 Hydrogen generation by pyrolysis or thermal cracking of hydrocarbons 250

8.4.9 Further fuel processing

carbon monoxide removal 250

8.5 Practical Fuel Processing

Stationary Applications 252

8.5.1 Conventional industrial steam reforming 252

8.5.2 System designs for natural gas fed PEMFC and PAFC plants with steam reformers 253

8.5.3 Reformer and partial oxidation designs 257

8.6 Practical Fuel Processing

Mobile Applications 263

8.6.2 Methanol reforming for vehicles 264

8.6.3 Micro-scale methanol reactors 267

8.6.4 Gasoline reforming 269

8.7 Electrolysers 270

8.7.1 Operation of electrolysers 270

8.7.2 Applications of electrolysers 272

8.7.3 Electrolyser efficiency 272

8.7.4 Generating at high pressure 273

8.7.5 Photo-electrolysis 275

8.8 Biological Production of Hydrogen 275

8.8.2 Photosynthesis 276

8.8.3 Hydrogen production by digestion processes 278

8.9 Hydrogen Storage I

Storage as Hydrogen 279

8.9.1 Introduction to the problem 279

8.9.2 Safety 280

8.9.3 The storage of hydrogen as a compressed gas 282

8.9.4 Storage of hydrogen as a liquid 284

8.9.5 Reversible metal hydride hydrogen stores 286

8.9.6 Carbon nanofibres 289

8.9.7 Storage methods compared 291

8.10 Hydrogen Storage II

Chemical Methods 293

8.10.2 Methanol 293

8.10.3 Alkali metal hydrides 295

8.10.4 Sodium borohydride 297

8.10.5 Ammonia 301

8.10.6 Storage methods compared 304

9 Compressors, Turbines, Ejectors, Fans, Blowers, and Pumps 309

9.2 Compressors

Types Used 310

9.3 Compressor Efficiency 312

9.4 Compressor Power 314

9.5 Compressor Performance Charts 315

9.6 Performance Charts for Centrifugal Compressors 318

9.7 Compressor Selection

Practical Issues 320

9.8 Turbines 321

9.9 Turbochargers 325

9.10 Ejector Circulators 326

9.11 Fans and Blowers 327

9.12 Membrane/Diaphragm Pumps 328

10 Delivering Fuel Cell Power 331

10.2 DC Regulation and Voltage Conversion 332

10.2.1 Switching devices 332

10.2.2 Switching regulators 334

10.3 Inverters 339

10.3.1 Single phase 339

10.3.2 Three phase 344

10.3.3 Regulatory

issues and tariffs 346

10.3.4 Power factor correction 348

10.4 Electric Motors 349

10.4.1 General points 349

10.4.2 The induction motor 350

10.4.3 The brushless DC motor 352

10.4.4 Switched reluctance motors 355

10.4.5 Motors efficiency 357

10.4.6 Motor mass 361

10.5 Fuel Cell/Battery or Capacitor Hybrid Systems 362

11 Fuel Cell Systems Analysed 369

11.2 Energy Systems 370

11.3 Well-To-Wheels Analysis 371

11.3.1 Importance of well-to-wheels analysis 371

11.3.2 Well-to-tank analysis 372

11.3.3 Main conclusions of the GM well-to-wheels study 374

11.4 Power-Train or Drive-Train Analysis 375

11.5 Example System I

PEMFC Powered Bus 377

11.6 Example System II

Stationary Natural Gas Fuelled System 382

11.6.2 Flow sheet and conceptual systems designs 382

11.6.3 Detailed engineering designs 386

11.6.4 Further systems analysis 387

Appendix 1 Change in Molar Gibbs Free Energy Calculations 391

A1.1 Hydrogen Fuel Cell 391

A1.2 The Carbon Monoxide Fuel Cell 393

Appendix 2 Useful Fuel Cell Equations 395

A2.2 Oxygen and Air Usage 396

A2.3 Air Exit Flow Rate 397

A2.4 Hydrogen Usage 398

A2.5 Water Production 399

A2.6 Heat Produced 399.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Rosengarten Family Fund.

ISBN:

047084857X

OCLC:

51242221