Fuel Cell Technology

A fuel cell is a device wherein a fuel, typically hydrogen, and oxygen are electrochemically combined to produce electricity, water and heat. A fuel cell differs from a battery in that the reactants are continuously supplied and replenished after consumption. Fuel cells are not limited by the internal capacity of a battery and produce electricity from an external fuel sources. The modular design of fuel cells alongside their ability to efficiently and cleanly generate electricity makes them ideal for a wide range of applications and markets [97, 98], as mentioned above. Currently, there exist a wide range of fuel cell types which are made distinct by the fuels used, electrolyte material and operating temperatures. However, all fuel cell types have in common the anode, electrolyte and cathode components that form the ‘membrane electrode assembly’ (MEA), or simply ‘the cell’.