_______________________________About Our Project
Welcome to FrostedPhysics' Webpage. We are doing a Physics Project on renewable energy, more specifically, fuel cells.
Energy deregulation is in full swing across the world and there is a rapid depletion of fossil fuels,
essential for generating energy. The excessive use of fossil fuels has caused the global warming problem to escalate.
One of the most obvious major contributors to the deteriorating situation is the 750 million
registered vehicles worldwide that emit roughly 4 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year.
There is also a need for us to explore and start looking out for alternative energy sources other than fossil fuels,
as they will run out some day. When renewable energy sources are used, the demand for fossil fuels is reduced,
hence ultimately reducing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.
On this webpage, we will be exploring hybrid cars and hydrogen cars and their effectiveness in recuding carbon dioxide emissions.
We hope this webpage raises your awareness of global warming. We also hope you will do your part to reduce global warming. :)
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Saturday, May 24, 2008
Introduction to Fuel Cells
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Hello and welcome back to FrostedPhysics! We have not updated for quite a while but we are sure you will gain much and learn many new facts from our latest installment on Fuel Cells. You will be awed by how much they contribute in the movement to lessen global warming :D
Before we continue, let us have a short recap on what we have learnt so far. Previously, we had touched on what global warming is, its causes, effects and consequences, as well as some ways to minimize global warming. In case you have forgotten, global warming is the enhanced effect of excess greenhouse gases. On that note, we would like to remind you the greenhouse effect is not a bad thing by itself -- it's what allows Earth to stay warm enough for life to survive. And here’s a fun fact!
What would Earth look like if there weren't any greenhouse effect at all? It would probably look a lot like Mars. Mars doesn't have a thick enough atmosphere to reflect enough heat back to the planet, so it gets very cold there. Some scientists have suggested that we could terraform the surface of Mars by sending “factories”; that would spew water vapor and carbon dioxide into the air. If enough material could be generated, the atmosphere might start to thicken enough to retain more heat and allow plants to live on the surface. Once plants spread across Mars, they would start producing oxygen. After a few hundred or thousand years, Mars might actually have an environment that humans could simply walk around in -- all thanks to the greenhouse effect.
Source: http://science.howstuffworks.com/question746.htm
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i. Fuel Cells
You might be wondering why we are looking into fuel cells. Our reply? Energy deregulation is now in full swing across the world and there is a rapid depletion of fossil fuels, which are used for generating energy. Not only that, the burning of too much fossil fuel also contributes to the global warming problem. With the rapid depletion of fossil fuels, how long can this limited resource last humans? It is time for us to explore new energy sources, preferably renewable energy sources that are environmentally-friendly, and put more thought and research into them. Without further ado, let us explore the world of fuel cells.
The fuel cell was discovered in 1839 by Sir William Grove. Fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen in a catalytic reaction that produces electricity, water, and heat. The fuel of choice for stationary and vehicle fuel cells is hydrogen.
A fuel cell provides electricity in a manner similar to a battery. Like a battery, a fuel cell produces direct current (DC) power, not alternating current (AC) power. However, the fuel cell can continue to provide energy so long as a fuel is present. A battery, in contrast, has a finite storage of energy and needs to be recharged after some time. Fuel cells are essentially batteries that can be refueled.
ii. How a Fuel Cell Works
First, let us define two basic parts of a fuel cell.
Anode – attracts electrons
Cathode – repels electrons
The electrochemical reactions of a fuel cell begin when hydrogen enters one side of the fuel cell (the anode), where it is separated into an electron and a hydrogen ion.
In the case of one type of fuel cell—a proton-exhange membrane, or PEM—the ions move through a membrane (the cathode) to combine with oxygen on the other side, making water. Meanwhile, since electrons cannot pass through the membrane, they are forced to take an external route, creating an electrical circuit that carries them through the electric motor.
As they pass through the motor, the electrons transfer power from the fuel cell to the motor. The motor, in turn, drives the wheels of the car.
The controlled reaction of hydrogen and oxygen that occurs in a fuel cell is much more efficient than the typical burning (or combustion) process of a standard vehicle engine. Hence, fuel cell vehicles are expected to be two to three times more efficient than conventional cars and light trucks.
Furthermore, the only end products are electricity, water, and some heat; the reaction is pollution-free. All fuel cells are “environmentally perfect”.
NEXT UP: Fuel Cells in Hybrid Cars
Now that you know what fuel cells are and how they work, we will cover how fuel cells are being used in vehicles in our next update. Vehicles are one of the major contributors to the deteriorating situation of global warming. There are about 750 million registered vehicles worldwide that emit roughly 4 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year. Is it possible to minimize this emission? Where do fuel cells come in? How effective or feasible are they? All these, in our following updates. Stay tuned!
This entry was compiled by all members of The Frostings.
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