These fuel cells, like the one shown to the right, are actually fairly
simple in nature. The fuel, usually hydrogen, is pumped into the cell. Then, it is oxidized, meaning it is changed from a neutral atom into a positive ion and a single free electron. Said electrons are then free to move about, specifically through a wire, which creates electric current. Then, on the other side of the cell, the aforementioned positive ion and electron are reunited and react with another substance, generally oxygen, creating a waste product of water or carbon dioxide. Now a perfectly reasonable reaction at this point would be "Hey, Bryan! You promised us this was simple!" I'm not really implying that fuel cells are simple, and anyone could just make one if the mood struck them. I'm just saying that these fuel cells are a lot easier than say...gas-powered engines. Just in case you didn't know before now, the engine that drives your car is literally housing thousands of explosions every second. Just something to think about...Anyway, that's how the most basic of fuel cells work. Naturally there are variations on the simple design, and many other methods used that all help change the uses and efficiency of the fuel cells. One such alteration is a very very recent development referred to as the "bloom box." A good video detailing the bloom box can be found here. The bloom box works off the same general principle, but utilizes sand and hydrocarbons to create electricity. As of right now, it's still unclear how it works, but it apparently seems to work quite effectively. However, one drawback I personally see is that it needs hydrocarbons, like gasoline, in order to function.
Whew...I don't know about you, but I can't handle any more science. Let's talk numbers. The typical fuel cell cranks out an average of .6 to .7 volts, or about half of a triple A battery, which is not exactly all that impressive. However, these fuel cells are capable of being stacked together in either series or parallel circuits, allowing higher voltage or higher current respectively. If one were to stack together enough of these fuel cells, it would be possible to get enough voltage to power virtually any application, from a 100 Watt laptop, to a 5000 Watt house, to a 100,000 Watt vehicle, to even a massive 200,000,000 Watt central power generator. The very "stackable" nature of fuel cells is what makes it so useful in many different applications. Hydrogen cells are pretty efficient, too. About half of the energy from the fuel (hydrogen) is converted into electricity, and half of it is lost as heat because a typical hydrogen fuel cell is about 50% efficient. This is a lot more impressive when compared to an average car, which is about 3% to 4% efficient on a good day. Furthermore, due to the fairly simple nature of fuel cells, they can be expected to be very reliable. They are compact, lightweight, have no moving parts, and don't contain tiny explosions, meaning that it is very very difficult for it to actually brea
k. Scientists theorize that for every 2 years of perfect functionality, a hydrogen fuel cell could be expected to break for about a minute. Fuel cells also have countless uses. The most practical one, would actually be providing power to a remote location. A stack of hydrogen fuel cells, a tank of oxygen, and a tank of hydrogen could essentially power anything from a remote log cabin to a permanent settlement on Mars. Also, hydrogen fuel cells are currently being used to power vehicles that expel only oxygen and water vapor as waste. Many things, from German subs to the Element One car run off fuel cells. in 2008, Boeing conducted experimental flight tests of The Fuel Cell Demonstrator Airplane, powered by both fuel cells and unimaginative titles. Reykjavik, Iceland, was the first place to open a hydrogen refueling station, literally just a gas station for hydrogen fuel cells. Granted, it only services three buses, but it still counts.All in all, I'm quite impressed with the potential of fuel cells. I remember several years ago when I used to think a hydrogen powered car was ridiculous and sounded just like some fantastical pipe dream. Now, however, it's starting to look like hydrogen-powered cars could become the norm within my lifetime. Personally, I think it'll take quite a while for it to become practical to use fuel cells, but in reality it's only a matter of time
Okay two questions
ReplyDeleteFirst how much energy does it take to due said fuel cell process? and where does this energy come from
2nd what is your take on the whole paperless Roncalli?
ahhh I'm afraid this entry is only half-done. I ran out of time in class and published it just to save what I already had. I'll finish it later, yyyyeah...and I'll be sure to address your question when I do so =D
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I think the paperless Roncalli is fantastic. The world is gradually becoming more digital-friendly and less paper-friendly. Naturally, this shift will be gradually and mildly rough, so I think the best place to begin acclimating to a world of zeroes and ones is to start at schools and whatnot. Granted, it'll be rough to make the transition, but so was the shift from Stone to Bronze. I don't just think it's a good idea...I think it's going to become a necessity fairly soon. If the mood strikes me, perhaps I'll make a full-fledged blog entry about that, and I'll elaborate more, perhaps.
Actually, I've read that Bloom Boxes run off of Natural Gas (like Methane), not gasoline. Natural Gas is still a fossil fuel, but it's supposedly not as bad for the environment as gasoline or oil.
ReplyDeleteAhh. while this is technically true, what I said was that they run off hydrocarbons, like gasoline. Methane, and thus natural gas, happens to be a hydrocarbon as well. So technically we're both right, I suppose. But still, natural gas is nonrenewable, albeit less damaging to the environment, and a permanent, fully-renewable replacement would probably be a good thing to look into.
ReplyDelete