Fuel Cell Technology

How Does a Fuel Cell Work?

We’ve heard mention of fuel cells, but how does a fuel cell work? Fuel cells work by being able to generate electricity through a chemical reaction. There is a positive electrode and a negative electrode and it is at these electrodes in which electricity is formed. That electrical current is then directed outside of the cell to power things such as a car engine or even a light bulb. This is a clean process because it does not require any type of combustion. As a matter of fact, it is three times more efficient than burning fuel.

No other generation technology offers the same benefits that fuel cell technology does. Emissions are very low or non-existent and fuel cell technology is very reliable and operates with a high efficiency. Other benefits of fuel cells include:

• Ease of maintenance
• Scalability – It can be resized to fit any device
• Multi-fuel capacity
• The are very silent during operation
• The waste heat can be used to power other components

A Car Which Runs on Fuel Cell

To power an automobile, a fuel cell stack is required. This is the act of combining the fuel cells into a series of parallel circuits. This creates a higher voltage and a stronger current can be drawn from the cells. The surface area of the unit can also be increased so that each cell can produce an even stronger current.

As for a fuel source now, an individual cannot go out and buy a fuel cell. For one thing, they are expensive and they are rather complicated. There is ongoing research geared toward using fuel cells as a way to fuel vehicles, heating and air systems, and so much more. Through utilizing fuel cell technology, pollution could be reduced significantly and the energy required to power large units would be considerably less.