Hydrogen Fuel Cells

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Hydrogen Fuel Cells

• An Info 8 Assignment
• by Tom Linaker

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A fuel cell would be more convenient than a
regular battery because it would not require
charging. Chargers like this would be useless.
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Since the fuel cell relies on chemistry and not
combustion, emissions from this type of a system
would still be much smaller than emissions from
the average car.
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The types of fuel cells are phosphoric acid,
proton exchange membrane (used in automobiles
such as this one), molten carbonate, solid oxide,
alkaline, direct methanol fuel cells, and
regenerative fuel cells.
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Sir William Grove, a Welsh judge and scientist,
built the first fuel cell in 1839. Serious
interest in the fuel cell as a practical
generator did not begin until the late 1960s.
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Today, one company commercially offers fuel cell
power plants for about 3000 per kilowatt. It
has been predicted that once the fuel cell costs
drop below 1500 per kilowatt, they will achieve
market penetration nationwide.
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Fuel Cells
If you want a career in the fuel cell industry
you should get a science major. Studies include
various types of engineering, chemistry or
physical areas of study.
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Vs.
Experts predict that fuel cell vehicles should
overtake gasoline powered cars in the next 20-30
years.
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Since fuel cells are powered by hydrogen,
emissions would only be water vapor.
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A recent study projected global demand for
transportation fuel cells in 2007 at 9 billion.
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I think that fuel cells should be developed and
used for powering cars and such because they will
greatly reduce global warming. Then snowmen like
this one will last longer!