Cover image for Fuel cells, engines, and hydrogen : an exergy approach
Title:
Fuel cells, engines, and hydrogen : an exergy approach
Personal Author:
Publication Information:
England : John Wiley & Sons, 2006
ISBN:
9780470019047

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30000010113035 TK2931 B37 2006 Open Access Book Book
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30000010129335 TK2931 B37 2006 Open Access Book Book
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Summary

Summary

Fuel cell technology is the most exciting and legitimate alternative source of power currently available to us as world resources of non-renewable fuel continue to be depleted. No other power generating technology holds the same benefits that fuel cells offer, including high reliability and efficiency, negligible environmental impact, and security of supply. Fuel cells run on hydrogen - the simplest and most plentiful gas in the universe - although they can also run on carbon monoxide, methane, or even coal. Their applications are diverse, from powering automobiles, buildings and portable electronics, to converting methane gas from wastewater plants and landfills into electricity.

Fuel Cells, Engines and Hydrogen is a controversial text that challenges the accepted industry parameters for measuring fuel cell performance and efficiency. Based on his inter-disciplinary experience in the fields of power, nuclear power, and desalination, the author contends that the development potential of the fuel cell is related to the quantity fuel chemical exergy, which, like electrical potential, is a quantitative measure of work done. The fuel cell community currently characterises these devices in terms of the enthalpy of combustion (calorific value) - however the author argues a correct, qualitatively different and fourfold larger characterisation is via the fuel chemical exergy, in units of work, and not energy. He asserts that the distortion introduced by this accepted perspective needs to be corrected before relatively efficient fuel cells, integrated with comparatively low performing gas turbines, reach the market.

Fuel Cells, Engines and Hydrogen features a foreword by Dr Gerry Agnew, Executive VP Engineering of Rolls Royce Fuel Cells Systems Ltd. It is essential reading for all engineers involved with fuel cells and/ or the manufacture of hydrogen from natural gas, as well as academics in related disciplines such as thermodynamics, physical chemistry, materials, physics, mechanical and chemical engineering.


Author Notes

Now an independent consultant, Frederick J. Barclay (BSc, ARCST, FIEE, FIMechE, FInstP) is internationally respected for his work in the fields of the thermodynamics of power, desalination, fuel cells, and exergy aspects of combined heat and power. He has been involved in this area for many years and has a vast experience of the subject in practice. He is the author of a number of highly regarded papers on this subject.


Table of Contents

Forewordp. xi
Introduction, and Commentary on Matters Affecting all Chaptersp. 1
1 Altered Perspectivesp. 29
1.1 Power Storagep. 30
1.2 Circulatorsp. 31
1.3 Incompletenessp. 31
1.4 The Hydrogen Minep. 32
1.5 Coal Gasificationp. 33
1.6 SOFCsp. 34
1.7 MCFCsp. 35
1.8 The PEFCp. 37
1.9 Enginesp. 38
2 Regenerative Fuel Cells or Redox Flow Batteriesp. 41
2.1 Introduction to the Regenesys Systemp. 41
2.2 History and Patentsp. 43
2.3 Regenesys Technologies Ltd; Power Storagep. 44
2.4 Elementary Chemistryp. 44
2.5 Modus Operandi of Regenesysp. 46
2.6 Some Construction Detailsp. 48
2.7 Ion and Electron Transferp. 48
2.8 Power Storage Applicationsp. 49
2.9 Initial Operating Experiencep. 49
2.10 Electrical Equipmentp. 50
2.11 Remarksp. 50
2.12 Conclusionsp. 51
3 Irreversible Thermodynamicsp. 53
3.1 Cells and Electrolysers with and without Circulatorsp. 53
3.2 Irreversibility - An Introduction via Joule's Experimentp. 54
3.3 PEFC Irreversibilityp. 56
3.4 Bacon's Fuel Cell; Avoidance of Irreversibilityp. 58
3.5 Fuel Cell Engineeringp. 58
3.6 Irreversibility in Calculation Routesp. 58
3.7 Juggling with Irreversibilitiesp. 59
3.8 Air-Breathing Fuel Cells - Irreversibilitiesp. 60
3.9 Liquid Electrolytes at the Electrode, 'Ice' Films, Marangoni Forces and Diffusion Irreversibilitiesp. 62
3.10 Overvoltage - An Electrical Irreversibilityp. 63
3.11 Biconductor Layers at the Electrode/Electrolyte Interfacep. 64
3.12 IR Dropp. 65
3.13 Remarksp. 65
4 Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs)p. 67
4.1 Introductionp. 67
4.1.1 The SOFCp. 67
4.1.2 Electrolytesp. 69
4.1.3 Electrolyte Thicknessp. 69
4.1.4 Cell Performancep. 69
4.1.5 Competitive Cellsp. 70
4.1.6 Oxygen Ion Concentrationp. 70
4.1.7 Unused Fuelp. 71
4.1.8 SOFC Internal Processp. 71
4.1.9 SOFC Preheating for Start-Upp. 72
4.1.10 SOFC Manoeuvrabilityp. 72
4.1.11 Direct Hydrocarbon Oxidationp. 73
4.2 Siemens Westinghousep. 74
4.2.1 Siemens - SOFC Integration with Gas Turbinesp. 75
4.3 Rolls-Roycep. 76
4.4 NGK Insulatorsp. 78
4.5 Mitsubishi Materials Corporation (MMTL)p. 78
4.6 Imperial College London and Ceres Power Ltdp. 79
4.7 Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd, Australiap. 80
4.8 Forschungs Zentrum Julich (FZJ)p. 81
4.9 Global Thermoelectricp. 82
4.10 Allied Signalp. 82
4.11 Acumentricsp. 83
4.12 Adelanp. 84
4.13 Sulzer Hexisp. 84
4.14 ECN/INDEC Petten, the Netherlandsp. 84
4.15 Remarksp. 89
5 Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFCs)p. 91
5.1 Introduction to the MCFCp. 91
5.1.1 MCFCs of FCE and MTUp. 92
5.1.2 Detailed Fuel Cell Descriptionp. 96
5.1.3 Matrix Initiationp. 96
5.1.4 Matrix and Cathode Deteriorationp. 96
5.1.5 Performance of Complete Cellsp. 97
5.1.6 Bipolar Platesp. 97
5.1.7 Stacksp. 97
5.1.8 Gas Turbine Integration with an MCFCp. 98
5.1.9 Nickel Oxide Deposition at the Cathode at High Pressurep. 100
5.1.10 Nickel Behaviour, Short-Circuitingp. 100
5.1.11 MCFC Integration with Coal Gasificationp. 100
5.2 MCFC Statusp. 101
5.3 Remarksp. 102
6 Polymer Electrolyte and Direct Methanol Fuel Cellsp. 103
6.1 Introductionp. 103
6.1.1 Ballard Power Systemsp. 103
6.1.2 Ballard Historyp. 104
6.1.3 Ballard Statusp. 105
6.1.4 Ballard Stacksp. 105
6.1.5 Flexible Graphite and Ballardp. 105
6.1.6 Ballard MEAsp. 108
6.1.7 Nafion and Alternativesp. 109
6.1.8 Alternative Flow Plate Materials Used by Competitorsp. 110
6.1.9 Ballard Operating Experiencep. 111
6.2 Electrocatalysis in the SPFCp. 112
6.3 Cathode Voltage Losses in the PEFCp. 113
6.4 The PEFC Hydrogen Economy in Icelandp. 114
6.5 Fuel Supplyp. 114
6.6 DMFCsp. 114
6.7 Tokyo Gas Company, Desulphuriserp. 117
6.8 Remarksp. 117
7 Fuel Cell Economics and Prognosisp. 119
7.1 Opening Remarksp. 119
7.2 Fuel Cell Economics - Selected Summariesp. 120
7.3 Non-Fuel-Cell Motor Vehicle Economicsp. 121
7.4 Price Waterhouse Fuel Cell Industry Surveyp. 122
7.5 Remarksp. 123
Appendix A Equilibrium Thermodynamics of Perfect Fuel Cellsp. 125
A.1 Thermodynamic Preamble to the Fuel Cell Equilibrium Diagramp. 126
A.2 Utilisation of Equilibrium Diagram for Calculation of Chemical Exergyp. 136
A.3 Chemical Exergy of Methane and Related High-Efficiency Hydrogen Productionp. 150
A.4 Elaboration of Figures A.4 and A.5, the Equilibrium Methane Oxidation Routesp. 165
A.5 Practical Power Production for the Futurep. 166
Appendix B Patent Search Examplesp. 171
Appendix C List of Web Sitesp. 173
Bibliographyp. 177
Indexp. 185