Hydrogen Fuel Cell Essay

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Hydrogen Fuel cell technology
Hydrogen fuel cell is a device which converts chemical energy into electrical energy. The cell uses hydrogen and oxygen as the chemicals (Rose, 2013). This cell is like a battery and releases energy in one way from going negative to positive (government of Canada, 2013). The fuel cell is separated by an electrolyte, which causes the electrons to travel around in a circuit creating energy (government of Canada, 2013).The hydrogen travels across this electrolyte combining with the oxygen to release water (Innovate Us, 2013). Overall reaction can be described as below.
Hydrogen + Oxygen = Electricity + Water Vapor
Cathode: 2H2 → 4H+ + 4e-
Anode: O2 + 4H+ + 4e- → 2H2O

Hydrogen fuel cell was first made by Sir William Grove, in 1839 (Innovate Us, 2013). He produced a gas voltaic battery which led to believe that energy could be produced by a cell (Innovate Us, 2013). However, a real working battery was not produced until 1959 (Matthey, 2014). Hydrogen fuel cells are used in many products and can power anything that requires electricity. It is recently mostly used in transportation such as hydrogen fuel cell cars and buses (Alternative Energy, 2014). It could be used in power plants, mobiles, buildings; heat and power. In the past it has been used for spaceships (government of Canada, 2013). It is currently being used as a backup power of renewable energy such as wind and solar. When there is not enough wind or sun to produce electricity, hydrogen fuel cells are used (Alternative Energy, 2014). They can also be used in portable devices such as laptops, computers and replace most batteries.
Hydrogen fuel cells are Eco-friendly. The fuel cell only releases energy, water and elect...

... middle of paper ...

...16). Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/alternative-fuels/fuel-facts/hydrogen-fuelcells/3563
InnovateUs. (2013). Retrieved March 30, 2014, from http://www.innovateus.net/invention/hydrogen-fuel-cell

Kukreja, R. (2013, March 13). What is Hydrogen Energy? Retrieved April 4, 2014, from ConserveEnergyFuture: http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/Advantages_Disadvantages_HydrogenEnergy.php

Matthey, J. (2014). Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/about-fuel-cells/faq

Nice, K. a. (2000, September 18). "How Fuel Cells Work". Retrieved March 30, 2014, from HowStuffWorks.com: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/alternative-fuels/fuel-cell.htm

Rose, R. (2013). Fuel Cells 2000. Retrieved March 30, 2014, from - Fuel Cells And Hydrogen: http://www.fuelcells.org/base.cgim?template=fuel_cells_and_hydrogen

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