Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that use a fuel, such as natural gas, to generate electricity. Fuel cells are similar to batteries in that they generate an electric current from a chemical reaction. However, unlike batteries, fuel cells do not require recharging and can continue to produce electricity as long as there is a supply of fuel. Fuel cells are also much more efficient than combustion engines, making them an attractive technology for powering vehicles.
Fuel cell technology has been around for over 150 years, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that scientists began to develop ways to use fuel cells for practical purposes. In the early days of fuel cell research, most work was focused on using hydrogen as a fuel. However, it wasn’t until the 1970s that scientists began to develop ways to use other fuels, such as natural gas and methanol.
The first practical application of fuel cells was in NASA’s space program. Fuel cells were used to power spacecraft because they are compact and lightweight and can operate for long periods of time without maintenance. In the 1980s, fuel cells began to be used in a variety of other applications, such as backup power generators for hospitals and office buildings and forklifts in warehouses.
In the 1990s, interest in using fuel cells to power vehicles increased dramatically. This was due in part to advances in fuel cell technology and also due to concerns about air pollution and dependence on foreign oil supplies. A number of companies began developing prototype cars powered byfuel cells and several government agencies initiated programs to promote the development of this newtechnology.
Today, there are a number of different types of fuel cells being developed for use in transportation applications. The most common type is the proton exchange membrane (PEM)fuel cell . PEMfuel cellsuse hydrogen gas as afueland oxygen from the airas an oxidizer . The PEMfuel cellis well suitedfor usein automobiles because it can operate at relatively low temperatures (about 80°C)and does not require high-pressure tanks or pipelinesto storeor deliverthe hydrogen gas . Other types offuelcellsbeing developedinclude molten carbonatefuelcells(MCFC),solid oxidefuelcells(SOFC),and direct alcoholfuelcells(DAFC).