CH E485 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Solid Oxide Fuel Cell, Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell, Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Chemical Engineering
• Course: CH E485
• Professor: Tom H. Etsell

Document Summary

1800 - electrolysis of water to create h2. 1839 - william grove - h2 -o2 (reverse electrolysis) fuel cell with h2so4 as the electrolyte. Development was slow as it was expensive and unreliable. 1890"s - internal combustion engine was invented; fuels cells were basically forgotten. 1962 - francis bacon - developed the alkaline fuel cell; used in the apollo missions to the moon (18 in total) (koh) Fuel cells also were used as a source of drinking water. 1970"s - alkaline fuel cell was found to be intolerant to co2, much of the research was abandoned. Phosphoric acid fuel cells seemed better suited to stationary applications on earth. 1980"s - attention focused on high temperature fuel cells, molten carbonate fuel cells specifically. 1990"s - solid oxide fuel cells (ceramic fuel cells) highest temperature. Proton exchange fuels cells (pem) were developed, first used to power an automobile.