Alkaline Fuel Cell
Alkaline Fuel Cell
Alkaline Fuel Cell
Chapter 4
Introduction Eng. Rawan Alhaddad
The alkaline fuel cell (AFC), also known as the Bacon fuel
cell after its British inventor, is one of the most developed
fuel cell technologies and is the cell that flew Man to the
Moon.
NASA has used alkaline fuel cells since the mid-1960s, in
Apollo-series missions and on the Space Shuttle.
AFCs consume hydrogen and pure oxygen producing
potable water, heat, and electricity.
They are among the most efficient fuel cells, having the
potential to reach 70%.
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The AFC employs an aqueous potassium hydroxide electrolyte. In contrast
to acidic fuel cells where H+ is transmitted from the anode to the cathode,
in an alkaline fuel cell OH– is conducted from the cathode to the anode.
Alkaline fuel cells require pure hydrogen and pure oxygen as fuel and
oxidant because they cannot tolerate even atmospheric levels of carbon
dioxide.
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Cell Components Eng. Rawan Alhaddad
Electrolytes
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AFC Advantages
Improved cathode performance
Potential for nonprecious metal catalysts
Low materials costs, extremely low cost electrolyte
AFC Disadvantages
Must use pure H2–O2
The liquid alkaline electrolyte on reaction of OH– ions with carbon
dioxide contamination in the oxidant stream.
KOH electrolyte may need occasional replenishment
Must remove water from anode
The electrolyte and electrode degradation caused by the
formation of carbonate/bicarbonate CO /HCO 3
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Performance Eng. Rawan Alhaddad
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Effect of Temperature
Section 2.1 describes that the reversible cell potential for a fuel cell consuming H2 and O2 decreases
by 49 mV under standard conditions in which the reaction product is water vapor.
However, as is the case in PAFCs, an increase in temperature improves cell performance because
activation polarization, mass transfer polarization, and ohmic losses are reduced.
As expected, the electrode potential at a given current density decreases at lower temperatures, and
the decrease is more significant at higher current densities.
In the temperature range of 60 to 90 °C, the cathode performance increases by about 0.5 mV/°C at
50 to 150 mA/cm2.
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Effect of Impurities
Carbon dioxide was the only impurity of concern in
the data surveyed.
AFCs with immobilized electrolytes suffer a
considerable performance loss with reformed fuels
containing CO2 and from the presence of CO2 in air
(typically ~350 ppm CO2 in ambient air). The
negative impact of CO2 arises from its reaction with
OH¯
CO2 + 2OH¯ → CO3 + H2O
producing the following effects:
reduced OH¯ concentration, interfering with kinetics;
electrolyte viscosity increase, resulting in lower diffusion rate
and lower limiting currents;
precipitation of carbonate salts in the porous electrode,
reducing mass transport;
reduced oxygen solubility,
reduced electrolyte conductivity.
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