Fuel Cell Schematic

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert a fuel’s chemical reaction in an electrolyte directly into electrical energy from fuel (on the anode side) and an oxidant (on the cathode side).

While they are similar to batteries in that they have no moving parts, batteries store their energy whereas fuel cells can produce electricity continuously as long as there is fuel and air.

As fuel cells combine a fuel (typically hydrogen) and an oxidant the resultant energy is captured directly and does not require the usual conversion of heat or movement to electrical energy and therefore is extremely efficient and pollutant emmissions are practically zero.

Many combinations of fuel and oxidant are possible, however, the most common combination is a a hydrogen cell that uses hydrogen as fuel and oxygen (usually from air) as an oxidant. Other fuels available include hydrocarbons and alcohols, while other oxidants used include chlorine and chlorine dioxide.
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