Introduction: Fuel Cell
In this article, the comparison between polymer
electrolyte membrane fuel cell, phosphoric acid fuel cell, alkaline fuel cell,
molten carbonate fuel cell and solid oxide fuel cell is given
Fuel Cell Comparison
Parameters
- Electrolyte
- Operating temperature
- Electrical Efficiency
- Stack Size
- Advantages & Disadvantages
- Challenges
- Applications
Comparison
Between Fuel Cells
Fuel cell types | Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cell ( PEMFC ) | Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell ( PAFC ) | Alkaline Fuel Cell ( AFC ) | Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell ( MCFC ) | Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ( SOFC ) |
Electrolyte | Perfluoro sulfonic acid | Phosphoric acid soaked in porous matrix | Alkaline polymer membrane | Molten lithium sodium / potassium carbonates soaked in porous matrix | Yttria stabilized zirconia |
Operating temperature | < 120 degree C | 150 – 200 degree C | < 100 degree C | 600 – 700 degree C | 500 – 1000 degree C |
Advantages | Low weight and volume | Efficiency more than 85% when used for co-generation of electricity and heat | Lower carbonate formation as compared to liquid AFCs | Does not require external reformer to convert fuels as natural gas and biogas into hydrogen | High efficiency |
Low temperature operation | | Low operating temperature | | Fuel flexibility |
Solid electrolyte reduces corrosion and electrolyte management systems | | Quick start up | Less cost as compared to alkaline, phosphoric and PEM fuel cells | Solid electrolyte |
Quick start up and load following | | | Improved efficiency as compared to phosphoric acid fuel cell plant | Hybrid / gas turbine cycle |
Disadvantages/ challenges | Expensive catalysts Sensitive to fuel impurities | Long start up time | CO2 as byproduct which affect cell performance and durability | Less durable | High temperature operation leads to corrosion and breakdown of cell components |
Addition cost required for reactor to reduce carbon monoxide | Carbon monoxide easily binds with platinum catalyst at the anode which decreases efficiency | Recirculate electrolyte operation reduce effect of carbonate formation on the electrolyte but increases corrosion and difficult to hand different pressure | Operate at higher temperature which leads to corrosion and breakdown of cell components | |
| Higher cost due to platinum catalyst | | Slow start up | Slow start up |
| Large size and heavy | | Low power density | Transportation not possible |
| Sulphur sensitivity | | | Thermal shielding for personal protection |
Application | Portable power | Distributed generation | Military space transportation | Electrical utility | Auxiliary power |
Back-up power | | Backup power | Distributed generation | Electric utility |
Primarily used for transportation applications | | | Industrial and military operations | Distributed generation |
Some stationary applications Vehicles like cars, buses, and heavy-duty trucks | | | | |
Electrical efficiency | 60% direct | 40% | 60% | 50% | 60% |
Stack size | < 1 to 100 kW | 5 – 400 kW, 100 kw module ( liquid PAFC ) < 10 kW ( Polymer membrane ) | 1 – 100 kW | 300 kW to 3 MW and 300 kW module | 1 kW – 2 MW |
No comments:
Post a Comment