Fuel Cell Report

Fuel Cells |

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Jeff LaGrega

ENEG 125

Introduction:

With the rising cost of energy and the concerns associated with depleting our other natural resources such as oil, coal and natural gas, we have been put to the test to develop alternate sources or energy. The Fuel Cell is one such method of energy that has been developed and continues to be perfected and made available as an alternative to fossil fuels. As such the fuel cell is a self- contained power generator able to provide reliable electricity for a number of uses in the residential, commercial, and industrial as well as the transportation field. Many experts agree we will soon be finding ourselves using fuel cells to generate electricity for the devices we use every day. We will explore the Fuel Cell in this report in a way to help people better understand the origins, construction and the many uses it has in today’s modern world.

Despite the modern day mystique and aura of fuel cells they have been a part of the sciences for over 150 years. The development and use can be traced back to William Robert Grove. He had developed a “wet cell battery“in 1838. Grove used a platinum electrode submerged in nitric acid and a zinc electrode in a zinc sulfate to generate approximately 12 amps and 108 volts. This was the birth of the Fuel Cell. He had developed the ability to generate electricity by arranging two platinum electrodes with each end submerged in sulfuric acid and oxygen and hydrogen separately, that a constant electrical current would flow between them. The experiments of William Robert Grove were the basis for our modern day fuel cell. The following illustration is an example of the earliest form of the fuel cell William Robert Grove is responsible for inventing.

1. Further experimentation by scientist such as William Jacques ( 1855-1932 and Emil...