Driving a car that emits nothing but pure water. Running a laptop for 30 hours straight on a single charge. These scenarios may not be as bizarre or as impossible as you think.
Fuel cells offer the key to zero emissions and reliable clean power. The new book by John Wiley & Sons (Asia) Pte Ltd, Fuel Cells: Fundamentals (2nd edition) takes the miracle of fuels cell into the real world by introducing the basic science behind the technology. The authors showcase fuel cells’ unique advantages by describing its practical applications.
“No other energy technology offers the combination of benefits that the fuel cells do. Apart from low emissions, benefits include high efficiency, reliability and ease of maintenance. Although the concept has been around for decades, it has only recently gained interest due to the technological advances that are making them economically feasible”, says co-author Ryan O’Hayre, from the Mechanical Engineering Department of Stanford University.
A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device that converts hydrogen and oxygen into water, producing electricity and heat in the process. Since the conversion takes place via an electrochemical process, the process is clean, quiet and more efficient than combustion – while providing a direct current voltage that can be used to power motors, lights and other electrical appliances.
Designed as a textbook with multiple examples and case studies, the updated second edition is the only book with basic coverage of physics and applications of fuel cell technology. Fuel Cells: Fundamentals emphasizes the founding scientific principles that govern fuel cells operations. It is divided into two parts: the first focuses on basic fuel cell physics, while the second part provides a brief discussion of the practical applications of fuel cell technology. The book assumes no prior knowledge of fuel cells or electrochemistry which makes it accessible for fuel cells beginners and engineers interested in this field.