Fuel Cells Emerging technologies are still undergoing extensive technological and production development. Interestingly, many of these technologies were first invented some time ago. Hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells were first invented by W.R Grove in 1839. However, most of the technological advances have been within the past few decades.
Fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electricity without combustion.
They utilize the electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen atoms to release electrons with water as a by-product. Therefore, a fuel cell will produce electricity as long as fuel is being supplied to it whereas once a battery uses up its chemical potential it will stop producing electricity. The operation of a fuel cell with fuel processor is illustrated schematically in Figure 40 . Schematic of a Fuel Cell with fuel processor Hydrogen gas, the ultimate fuel in all current designs of fuel cells, is separated from the fuel gas by a fuel processor and then enters the fuel cell at the anode while oxygen is admitted at the cathode. The fuel cell consists of two gas-permeable electrodes separated by an electrolyte, which is a transport medium for electrically charged ions.