ABSTRACT:

The main aim of our paper is to provide electricity

i.e., the flow of electrons simply by using Hydrogen and
Oxygen which are abundantly available in the atmosphere.
This paper mainly deals with PEM (Proton Exchange
Membrane) and it discuss on how electricity is generated by
using oxygen and hydrogen with the help of reactions. One
of the important advantage by using this technique is it
doesnt effect atmosphere (ex: like global warming etc) and
this paper also deals with the problems associated by using
this technique and to overcome them.

INTRODUCTION:
Proton
exchange
membrane fuel cells, also known
as
polymer
electrolyte
membrane fuel cells (PEMFC),
are a type of fuel cell being
developed
for
transport
applications as well as for
stationary
and
portable
applications.
Their
distinguishing features include
lower
temperature/pressure
ranges and a special polymer
electrolyte membrane.
A hydrogen fuel cell
works by pumping hydrogen gas
through a proton exchange
membrane
causing
the
hydrogen to give up electrons in
the form of electricity, which
combines with oxygen gas to
form water as the by-product. It
can also work in reverse when
current is applied, water is split
into
its
component
gases,
hydrogen and oxygen.
Fuel-cell cars are on
the verge of being commercially
viable
but,
despite
their
promise,
scientists
have
struggled to explain just how
the
fuel-cells
central
component,
that
proton
exchange
membrane,
really
works.
The parts of a PEM fuel cell:
There are four basic elements of
a PEMFC:

The anode, the negative

post of the fuel cell, has
several jobs. It conducts
the electrons that are free
from
the
hydrogen
molecules so that they
can be used in an external
circuit. It has channels
etched
into
it
that
disperse the hydrogen gas
equally over the surface of
the catalyst.
The cathode, the positive
post of the fuel cell, has
channels etched into it
that distribute the oxygen
to the surface of the
catalyst. It also conducts
the electrons back from
the external circuit to the
catalyst, where they can
recombine
with
the
hydrogen ions and oxygen
to form water.
The electrolyte is the
proton
exchange
membrane. This specially
treated material, which
looks
something
like
ordinary kitchen plastic
wrap,
only
conducts
positively charged ions.
The membrane blocks
electrons. For a PEMFC,
the membrane must be
hydrated in order to
function
and
remain
stable.

 The catalyst is a special

material that facilitates
the reaction of oxygen and
hydrogen. It is usually
made of platinum Nan
particles
very
thinly
coated onto carbon paper
or cloth. The catalyst is
rough and porous so that
the
maximum
surface
area of the platinum can
be
exposed
to
the
hydrogen or oxygen. The
platinum-coated side of
the catalyst faces the
PEM.

How Exactly
Cells Work?

Do

Fuel

Well, the endgame is

to get the electric current from
inside the cell to the outside
where it can do useful work. The
nature of electricity requires
that the current flow from inside
the cell through a load (the
electric motor that powers a
vehicle) and return to the cell in
order to complete the circuit.
Fuel cells require both hydrogen
as the fuel and oxygen (to
complete
the
chemical
conversion)
from
the
atmosphere to operate.
There
are
several
types of fuel cells and each one
operates slightly differently from
the other
But in general terms, the
principle works like this:
Hydrogen atoms enter
the cell at the anode (negative
electrode), where a catalyst (at
the
electrolyte)
causes
a
chemical reaction that strips off

their electrons (e-). These newly

ionized hydrogen atoms (h+)
now have a positive electrical
charge. The negative electrons
(e-) become the DC (direct
current) electricity that flows
through wires and cables to
provide power to the load
(motor).
If the load requires AC
(alternating current) electricity,
these negative electrons must
first flow through an inverter
that converts them from DC to
AC. Oxygen enters the cell at
the cathode (positive electrode)
and in some cell types (such as
the Proton Exchange Membrane
fuel cell), it combines there with
the negative electrons (e-)
returning from the load and the
hydrogen ions (h+) that have
traveled from the anode through
the electrolyte. In other types of
fuel cells, the oxygen combines
with the electrons (e-) and then
goes through the electrolyte to
the anode and picks up the
hydrogen ions (h+).
No matter which side
of the cell (anode or cathode)
the
oxygen
and
hydrogen
combine on, the result is pure
water and some latent heat.
Because fuel cells chemically
convert (instead of burning)
hydrogen,
there
are
no
byproducts of combustion--such
as NOX. Electricity (for work),
water and heat (which can be
recaptured and used for work)
are the only byproducts of fuel
cell operation. It's a win-win,
and therein lies the clean, pure
beauty of fuel cells.

HISTORY OF FUEL CELLS:

Before the invention
of PEM fuel cells, existing fuel
cell types such as solid-oxide
fuel cells were only applied in
extreme conditions. Such fuel
cells
also
required
very
expensive materials and could
only be used for stationary
applications due to their size.
These issues were addressed by
the PEM fuel cell. The PEM fuel
cell was invented in the early
1960s by Willard Thomas Grubb
and Lee Niedrach of General
Electric.
Initially,
sulfonated
polystyrene membranes were
used for electrolytes, but they
were replaced in 1966 by Nafion
ionomer, which proved to be
superior in performance and
durability
to
sulfonated
polystyrene.
PEM fuel cells were
used in the NASA Gemini series
of spacecraft, but they were
replaced by Alkaline fuel cells
in the Apollo program and in the
Space shuttle. Parallel with Pratt
& Whitney Aircraft, General
Electric developed the first
proton exchange membrane fuel
cells (PEMFCs) for the Gemini
space missions in the early
1960s. The first mission to
utilize PEMFCs was Gemini V.
Extremely
expensive
materials were used and the
fuel cells required very pure
hydrogen and oxygen. Early fuel
cells
tended
to
require
inconveniently high operating
temperatures
that
were
a
problem in many applications.
However, fuel cells were seen to

be desirable due to the large

amounts
of
fuel
available
(hydrogen & oxygen).
Despite their success
in space programs, fuel cell
systems were limited to space
missions and other special
applications, where high cost
could be tolerated. It was not
until the late 1980s and early
1990s that fuel cells became a
real option for wider application
base.
Several
pivotal
innovations, e.g. low platinum
catalyst loading and thin film
electrodes drove the cost of fuel
cells
down,
making
development of PEMFC systems
more or less realistic. However,
there is significant debate as to
whether hydrogen fuel cells will
be a realistic technology for use
in automobiles or other vehicles
for many decades.

TYPES OF FUEL CELLS:

PROTON
EXCHANGE
MEMBRANE
(PEM)
Efficiency is 40 to 50
percent at about 175
degrees F. Cell output
ranges from 50 to 250 kW.
The electrolyte is a flexible
polymer. Their relatively
low operating temperature
and flexible electrolyte
make them ideal for
automotive use.
ALKALINE - Operate at
about
70
percent
efficiency at temperatures
between 300 and 400
degrees F. Cell output
range is 300W to 5kW and

they
use
a
liquid
electrolyte of potassium
hydroxide
(KOH)
and
water and can potentially
leak.
MOLTEN CARBONATE Operate at about 60 to 80
percent
efficiency
at
temperatures of about
1200 degrees F. Cell
output is about 200 MW.
Carbonate ions from the
electrolyte are depleted in
the reactions and require
the injection of additional
carbon dioxide.
PHOSPHORIC
ACID
Efficiency ranges from 40
to 80 percent at about 300
to 400 degrees F. Cell
output is around 200 kW.
The
phosphoric
acid
electrolyte is corrosive to
internal cell parts.
SOLID OXIDE -Operational
efficiency is about 60
percent at temperatures
of 1800 degrees F. Cell
output is up to 100kW.
The Solid electrolyte is
prone to cracking.

PICTURES OF DIFFERENT
FUEL CELLS:
a) PAFC fuel cell

b) Molten carbonate fuel cell

c) Alkaline fuel cell

REACTIONS INVOLVING IN
THIS:
Chemistry of a Fuel Cell
Anode side:2H2 => 4H+ +
4e-
Cathode side:O2 + 4H+ +
4e- => 2H2O
Net reaction:2H2 + O2 =>
2H2O

PEM
Fuel
Technology:

Cell

Proton
exchange
membrane (PEM) fuel cells work
with a polymer electrolyte in the
form of a thin, permeable sheet.
This membrane is small and
light, and it works at low
temperatures (about 80 degrees
C, or about 175 degrees F).
Other
electrolytes
require
temperatures as high as 1,000
degrees C.
To speed the reaction a
platinum catalyst is used on
both sides of the membrane.
Hydrogen atoms are stripped of
their electrons, or "ionized," at
the anode, and the positively
charged protons diffuse through
one side of the anode to the
cathode through an exterior
circuit and provide electric
power along the way. At the
cathode,
the
electrons,
hydrogen protons and oxygen
from the air combine to form
water. For this fuel cell to work,
the proton exchange membrane
electrolyte must allow hydrogen
protons to pass through but

prohibit the passage of electrons

and heavier gases.
Efficiency for a PEM
cell reaches about 40 to 50
percent. An external reformer is
required to convert fuels such as
methanol
or
gasoline
to
hydrogen.
Currently,
demonstration units of 50
kilowatt
(kw) capacity
are
operating and units producing
up to 250 kw are under
development.

Polymer
membrane:

Electrolyte

To
function,
the
membrane
must
conduct
hydrogen ions (protons) but not
electrons as this would in effect
"short circuit" the fuel cell. The
membrane must also not allow
either gas to pass to the other
side of the cell, a problem
known as gas crossover. Finally,
the
membrane
must
be
resistant
to
the
reducing
environment at the cathode as
well as the harsh oxidative
environment at the anode.
Unfortunately,
while
the splitting of the hydrogen
molecule is relatively easy by
using a platinum catalyst,
splitting the stronger oxygen
molecule is more difficult, and
this causes significant electric
losses. An appropriate catalyst
material for this process has not
been discovered, and platinum
is the best option. Another
significant source of losses is
the resistance of the membrane
to
proton
flow,
which
is

minimized by making it as thin

as possible, on the order of 50
m.
The PEMFC is a prime
candidate for vehicle and other
mobile applications of all sizes
down
to
mobile
phones,
because of its compactness.
However,
the
water
management
is
crucial
to
performance: too much water
will flood the membrane, too
little will dry it; in both cases,
power output will drop. Water
management is a very difficult
subject in PEM systems. A wide
variety
of
solutions
for
managing
the
water
exist
including integration of electro
osmotic pumps. Furthermore,
the platinum catalyst on the
membrane is easily poisoned by
carbon monoxide (no more than
one part per million is usually
acceptable) and the membrane
is sensitive to things like metal
ions, which can be introduced
by corrosion of metallic bipolar
plates, metallic components in
the fuel cell system or from
contaminants in the fuel /
oxidant.
PEM systems that use
reformed
methanol
were
proposed, as in Daimler Chrysler
Necar 5; reforming methanol,
i.e. making it react to obtain
hydrogen, is however a very
complicated
process,
that
requires also purification from
the
carbon
monoxide
the
reaction produces. A platinumruthenium catalyst is necessary
as some carbon monoxide will
unavoidably
reach
the
membrane. The level should not

exceed 10 parts per million.

Furthermore, the start-up times
of such a reformer reactor are of
about half an hour. Alternatively,
methanol, and some other
biofuels can be fed to a PEM fuel
cell directly
without being
reformed, thus making a direct
methanol fuel cell (DMFC).
These devices operate with
limited success.
The most commonly
used membrane is Nafion by
DuPont, which relies on liquid
water humidification of the
membrane to transport protons.
This implies that it is not
feasible to use temperatures
above
8090C,
since
the
membrane would dry. Other,
more recent membrane types,
based on Polybenzimidazole
(PBI) OR phosphoric acid, can
reach up to 220C without using
any water management: higher
temperature allow for better
efficiencies, power densities,
ease of cooling (because of
larger allowable temperature
differences), reduced sensitivity
to carbon monoxide poisoning
and
better
controllability
(because of absence of water
management issues in the
membrane); however, these
recent types are not as common
and most research labs and
papers
still
use
Nafion.
Companies
producing
PBI
membranes include Celanese
and PEMEAS, and there is an EU
research project regarding these
membranes.
Efficiencies of PEMs are
in the range of 40-60% Higher

Heating
(HHV).

Value

of

Hydrogen

FUEL CELL USED FOR

PRODUCING ELETRICITY:

PEM
Fuel
Applications:

Cell

A Ballard fuel cell powers a

laptop computer.
PEM cells may have a mixed
record in space, but several
companies have been testing
the cells in more down-toearth vehicles. In 1995,
Ballard Systems tested PEM
cells in buses in Vancouver
and Chicago and later in
experimental vehicles made
by DaimlerChrysler. PEM cells
have also supplied power to
unmanned
blimps
called
aerostats and to sonobuoys,
which are nautical buoys that
generate and receive sonar
signals.
Early in 2000, AeroVironment
selected PEM technology to
provide nighttime power for
its solar-powered Helios longduration aircraft. The goal
was to make an unpiloted
aircraft
that
could
fly

continuously for up to six

months by using photovoltaic
panels during the day to run
electric
motors
and
electrolyze water. At night,
the fuel cell was to run the
motors by converting the
hydrogen and oxygen back
into water. Several test
flights were made with and
without a fuel cell from 2001
to 2003.
The Helios research aircraft
takes to the air.
Automotive
research
has
taken on new urgency as air
quality
regulations
grow
steadily stricter, particularly
in California. Energy Partners
and the U. S. Department of
Energy's Office of Advanced
Automotive
Technologies
provided two 20 kw fuel cell
stacks to Virginia Tech and
Texas Tech universities to
evaluate
performance
in
hybrid electric cars. Major
automakers like Ford and
Volkswagen are also testing
PEM vehicles.
Since the mid-1980s, PEM
development has included
stationary
power
applications. In 1989, Ballard
Systems introduced a 5 kw
hydrogen and air PEM stack.
Two years later, GPU and
Ballard began operating a
250 kw plant at Crane Naval
Air Station in Indiana.
Avista Laboratory's 7.5KW
residential fuel cell power
plant is established.
Avista Laboratory's 7.5KW
PEM residential fuel cell
power plant is established.

difficulties and time constraints

had already led the team to
replace the regenerative system
with a system using hydrogen
from two tanks. Use of the
alternate
fuel
cell
system
changed the weight distribution
along the span of this flying
wing which then failed when the
remotely-piloted aircraft flew
into
unexpected
wind
conditions..

ADVANTAGES:

NASA - Aerovirment Helios

research aircraft in 2003

As the bi-product obtained by

using
this
technique
is
WATER (H2O), therefore this
doesnt effect atmosphere.
Then there is no problem of
global warming etc. which
are
becoming
pretty
dangerous in nowadays and
which cannot be eradicated
completely.
This technique is now coming
into vehicles such as Cars
(namely
hydrogen
cars)
which will be released soon
by HONDA.

DISADVANTEGES:

The
NASA
Helios
aircraft broke apart during
testing before designers had the
opportunity to test the planned
regenerative fuel cell concept.
As it turns out, technical

Conclusion:

As we all know that hydrogen

is very dangerous (hydrogen
bombs), therefore if some
accidents took place then a
maximum care should be
taken in order to protect
hydrogen tanks. This is the
disadvantage involving in
this technique.

PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) and it discuss on how

electricity is generated by using oxygen and hydrogen with the help
of reactions. One of the important advantage by using this
technique is it doesnt affect atmosphere. Finally there is no
problem of global warming etc. which are becoming pretty
dangerous in now a days and which cannot be eradicated
completely.