Fuel Cell Development, Application, Prospects

tahanson43206 · 2023-12-19 12:04:59

For SpaceNut re #100

Thanks for finding and posting that article about a "proton" "battery".

It might be easy for a person to become confused about the use of the word "battery".

This definitely appears to be an energy storage device. The fact that it gets hydrogen from water to store energy is irrelevant, but it might be misleading or confusing to some of your readers.

If you can get hydrogen from another source, use that!

Water ** is ** available on Earth, so it seems to me to be a reasonable source of hydrogen.

The power density is slightly less that lithium batteries, but researchers are hoping to continue improving performance.

This definitely looks like a concept with competitive potential, because no exotic elements are required.

Thanks again for the link!

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-02-22 21:09:56

Reusable and fireproof ‘water batteries’ promise explosion-free power

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (RAZBs) offer a safer alternative to lithium-ion batteries, utilizing non-toxic water-based electrolytes and cost-effective, high-capacity zinc anodes.
However, zinc anodes confront challenges like dendritic growth and hydrogen evolution reactions, impacting battery performance. Various strategies have been explored, including protective coatings to curb dendrite formation and pH adjustments at the electrode interface for hydrogen evolution reduction, according to the team.

tahanson43206 · 2025-07-03 06:58:27

This topic started out with an emphasis on ammonia as a fuel cell input. This post is about the variety of hydrogen carrier materials that have been studied for fuel cell applications.

I asked Google for a list of fuels in use or in research for input to fuel cells...

A wide variety of fuels have been developed or are being researched for use in fuel cells, leveraging their chemical energy to generate electricity.
Here are some examples of fuels developed for fuel cells:
Hydrogen (H2): The most common fuel, it is often supplied directly to the fuel cell system. Hydrogen fuel cells produce only water and heat as byproducts, making them very clean at the point of use.
Methanol (CH3OH): Offers a higher energy density than compressed hydrogen and is easier to transport and store as a liquid. Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFCs) use methanol mixed with water and fed directly to the fuel cell anode, eliminating the need for a fuel reformer. DMFCs have applications in portable electronics and stationary power generation.
Ethanol (C2H5OH): A biofuel with a higher energy density than methanol. It has an established supply chain and is relatively safe to handle. Ethanol fuel cells offer cleaner emissions than fossil fuels.
Ammonia (NH3): Easily available and offers clean combustion, producing only hydrogen and nitrogen gas when reformed. Ammonia fuel cells need to operate at high temperatures for the conversion to hydrogen. Ammonia offers high energy density and easier transport compared to hydrogen, but has disadvantages like lower energy efficiency and potential nitrogen oxide emissions.
Natural Gas (primarily Methane, CH4): Some fuel cell types like Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) and Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFCs) can directly utilize natural gas. They are considered high-temperature fuel cells and can reform natural gas into hydrogen within the fuel cell itself.
Gasoline: While not ideal, it can be reformed to extract hydrogen for some fuel cell applications.
Dimethyl Ether (DME): DME fuel cells are being explored for portable applications due to their non-toxic nature, high density, and easy storage at modest pressures.
Formic Acid (HCOOH): Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cells (DFAFCs) offer advantages like low working temperatures, high safety in storage and transport, and faster reaction kinetics compared to methanol.
Syngas: A mixture primarily composed of H2, CO, and CO2, produced from sources like biomass. High-temperature fuel cells like SOFCs and MCFCs can utilize syngas directly, enabling power generation from solid fuels.
Note: Many of these fuels, other than pure hydrogen, require processing or reforming to extract the hydrogen needed to power the fuel cell, or the fuel cell itself is designed for direct use.
While hydrogen fuel cells are the most prevalent, the exploration and development of alternative fuels continue to expand the potential applications and benefits of fuel cell technology.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-07-03 07:04:29

In this post I asked Google to summarize market share of fuel cell fuels in 2024:

AI Overview
In 2024, the fuel cell market is primarily driven by hydrogen, but other fuels like ammonia and methanol are also gaining traction, particularly in niche applications.
Here's a breakdown:
1. Hydrogen:
Dominant fuel: Hydrogen is the leading fuel type, holding around 65% of the fuel cell market share.
Applications: It's widely used in transportation, including fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), and stationary power applications.
Growth: The global hydrogen fuel cell market is projected for continued growth.
Infrastructure: Hydrogen refueling infrastructure is expanding, particularly in regions like Asia-Pacific and Europe, facilitating adoption.
2. Ammonia:
Emerging fuel: Ammonia is drawing increasing attention, especially as a carrier for hydrogen with high energy density.
Applications: It's showing early adoption in the maritime sector with ammonia-ready vessels on order.
Future growth: Ammonia's share of the fuel cell market is projected to expand significantly, especially in ocean-going segments and remote power applications, as port bunkering solutions mature.
Market size: The Ammonia Fuel Cell Market is estimated to be valued at USD 1.2 Billion in 2024 and expected to grow significantly.
3. Methanol and Natural Gas:
Transitional fuels: Methanol and pipeline gas are considered transitional fuels, helping bridge the gap to wider adoption of greener alternatives in stationary power and combined heat and power systems.
Natural Gas: Natural gas held the largest share among alternative fuel types in 2024 due to its affordability and lower emissions compared to traditional fuels.
In summary:
Hydrogen remains the primary fuel for fuel cells in 2024, but there is growing market exposure for ammonia, especially in the maritime sector, and transitional fuels like methanol and natural gas are also playing a role. This indicates a diversifying landscape of fuel options within the broader fuel cell market.

tahanson43206 · 2025-07-03 07:09:06

This post is a follow up regarding use of natural gas as a fuel for fuel cells...

Per Google:

4.4 Fuel Cells - UnderstandingCHP.com
Natural gas is a practical fuel for fuel cells because it can be readily converted into hydrogen, which is the fuel directly used in fuel cells. While the conversion process does produce carbon dioxide, it can be captured and either utilized or sequestered, offering a cleaner energy pathway compared to combustion.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Why Natural Gas is Practical:
Hydrogen Source:
Natural gas, primarily composed of methane (CH4), can be efficiently reformed to produce hydrogen (H2).
High Energy Density:
Natural gas has a high energy density, meaning it can store a substantial amount of energy in a relatively small volume.
Infrastructure:
A vast network of pipelines exists for delivering natural gas, making it a readily available fuel source.
Cost-Effectiveness:
Compared to some other fuel cell fuels, natural gas can be more cost-effective due to its abundance and existing infrastructure.
The Role of Carbon:
1. Reforming:
In most fuel cell applications, natural gas undergoes a reforming process (like steam methane reforming) to produce hydrogen. This process also produces carbon dioxide (CO2) as a byproduct.
2. Carbon Capture and Utilization/Sequestration (CCUS):
The CO2 generated can be captured and either:
Utilized: Used for various industrial applications, such as enhanced oil recovery or in the production of other chemicals.
Sequestered: Permanently stored underground in geological formations.
3. Reduced Emissions:
When compared to traditional combustion of natural gas, fuel cells coupled with CCUS can significantly reduce overall carbon emissions.
In essence, while natural gas does produce carbon dioxide during the fuel cell process, the technology allows for the capture and utilization or sequestration of this carbon, leading to a more sustainable energy solution than simply burning natural gas for power.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-07-03 07:18:47

This post is offered as a deep dive into use of ammonia as a carrier for hydrogen for use in fuel cells:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/en … 20in%20Fig

The link above points to a paper dated 2010 about ammonia as an input to fuel cells

Per Google:

Ammonia vs. Pure Hydrogen Fuel Cells: A Comparison
You're correct that utilizing ammonia as a fuel cell input often necessitates higher temperatures to decompose it and release the hydrogen needed for the electrochemical reaction. Let's compare ammonia-fueled and pure hydrogen fuel cells based on your questions:
Feature Ammonia Fuel Cell (specifically, Direct Ammonia SOFC) Pure Hydrogen Fuel Cell (e.g., PEMFC)
Cost The overall cost is likely greater initially, due to the need for high-temperature ammonia decomposition and potentially specialized materials to handle ammonia and resist degradation (nitride formation, nickel coarsening). Manufacturing costs are generally lower for pure hydrogen fuel cells as they don't require ammonia cracking infrastructure within the cell. However, the cost of producing and transporting green hydrogen can be high.
Lifetime Potentially shorter due to the harsh high-temperature environment and potential for material degradation from ammonia decomposition products like nitrides. However, long-term stability in the thousands of hours has been demonstrated in some cases.
Generally longer, particularly for lower-temperature PEMFCs, due to less wear and tear on components. Target lifetimes are tens of thousands of hours for commercial applications.
Nitrogen Venting & Emissions Ideally, ammonia decomposes into hydrogen and nitrogen gas (N2), which is then vented. Nitrogen gas is generally considered harmless to the environment. However, there's a risk of releasing nitrogen oxides (NOx), pollutants that contribute to smog and acid rain, according to the National Science Foundation. This can be minimized with proactive engineering and catalyst selection.
No nitrogen oxides are produced as the fuel cell only consumes hydrogen and oxygen, producing water and heat.
Further Considerations:
Efficiency: Ammonia-fueled Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) can achieve high electrical efficiencies, especially when recovering residual heat from the decomposition process. One company reports achieving 61-67% electrical efficiency with their direct ammonia SOFC. This is competitive with or exceeds typical hydrogen SOFC efficiencies.
Safety: Ammonia is toxic and flammable, requiring careful handling and leak prevention. However, its pungent odor helps in early leak detection. Hydrogen is highly flammable and requires specialized storage and infrastructure.
Storage and Transport: Ammonia has a significant advantage as a hydrogen carrier due to its ease of liquefaction and transportation using existing infrastructure. Hydrogen, on the other hand, is difficult and costly to store and transport due to its low volumetric energy density.
In Conclusion:
While ammonia fuel cells, particularly SOFCs, show promise with their high efficiency and ability to use ammonia directly, challenges remain in managing cost, ensuring long-term durability, and mitigating NOx emissions. Pure hydrogen fuel cells offer a cleaner and more mature
technology with a potentially longer lifespan, but the logistical hurdles of hydrogen storage and transport are significant. Further research and development in both areas are crucial for their successful implementation in a clean energy future.

(th)

Void · 2025-07-03 10:44:11

Sodium Fuel Cell: https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 69#p232569

Ending Pending

Last edited by Void (2025-07-03 10:44:54)

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#101 2023-12-19 12:04:59

Re: Fuel Cell Development, Application, Prospects

#102 2024-02-22 21:09:56

Re: Fuel Cell Development, Application, Prospects

#103 2025-07-03 06:58:27

Re: Fuel Cell Development, Application, Prospects

#104 2025-07-03 07:04:29

Re: Fuel Cell Development, Application, Prospects

#105 2025-07-03 07:09:06

Re: Fuel Cell Development, Application, Prospects

#106 2025-07-03 07:18:47

Re: Fuel Cell Development, Application, Prospects

#107 2025-07-03 10:44:11

Re: Fuel Cell Development, Application, Prospects

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