Fuel cells for electric utility and transportation applications

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6869595

Srinivasan, S

This review article presents: the current status and expected progress status of the fuel cell research and development programs in the USA, electrochemical problem areas, techno-economic assessments of fuel cells for electric and/or gas utilities and for transportation, and other candidate fuel cells and their applications. For electric and/or gas utility applications, the most likely candidates are phosphoric, molten carbonate, and solid electrolyte fuel cells. The first will be coupled with a reformer (to convert natural gas, petroleum-derived, or biomass fuels to hydrogen), while the second and third will be linked with a coal gasifier. A fuel cell/battery hybrid power source is an attractive option for electric vehicles with projected performance characteristics approaching those for internal combustion or diesel engine powered vehicles. For this application, with coal-derived methanol as the fuel, a fuel cell with an acid electrolyte (phosphoric, solid polymer electrolyte or super acid) is essential; with pure hydrogen (obtained by splitting of water using nuclear, solar or hydroelectric energy), alkaline fuel cells show promise. A fuel cell researcher's dream is the development of a high performance direct methanol-air fuel cell as a power plant for electric vehicles. For long or intermittent duty cycle load leveling, regenerative hydrogen-halogen fuel cells exhibit desirable characteristics.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6869595
• Report Number(s): BNL-28696; CONF-800883-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200104* -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Components
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300500 -- Fuel Cells
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330300 -- Advanced Propulsion Systems-- Electric-Powered Systems
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ECONOMICS
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
FUEL CELLS
NORTH AMERICA
PUBLIC UTILITIES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
USA
VEHICLES