A fuel cell could be mistaken as a cell, which contains fuel (most commonly found on any car or even motorcycle), but this is not to be mistaken for the device that Sir William Grove first invented in 1839 that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used. Don’t mistake a battery and fuel cell to be the same as a fuel cell requires a constant source of fuel and oxygen to sustain their chemical reaction where a battery does not; however, fuel cells can produce electricity continually for as long as these inputs are supplied.
There are many different types of fuel cells but the thing they all have in common are an anode, a cathode and a electrolyte that allow charges to move between the two sides of the fuel cell. The most commonly used fuel cell is hydrogen (1) and can be found in passenger vehicles or as a source of fueling a hybrid automobile. BMW has started using this source of fuel cell to help their new 1 series hybrid car make its way down the streets. BMW and many other automobile makers have found that by using fuel cell technology they are able to drastically eliminate pollution compared to a gas powered car. (2) Moreover, Honda has found that by using fuel cell technology in their FCX concept car they were able to achieve a potential efficiency of up to 80% (coverts 80% of energy content into electrical energy).
While there are many pros to fuel cells such as its ability of using renewable fuels and its inability to be charged, it also has some cons such as the high cost of materials used (platinum) and its reliability on fuel. While Fuel Cell technology has lead to bus’, airplanes, boats and even buildings in remote or inaccessible areas relying on this source of power I believe it has lead us to a source of technology I would like to see be used more widely among the electrical grid or even in a more competitive race car.
Works Cited:
1) http://www.biblio.com/books/436308472.html
2) http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/alternative-fuels/fuel-cell1.htm