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Elektrochemische Energieumwandlung in Brennstoffzellen
Author(s) -
Wendt Hartmut,
Jenseit Wolfgang
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
chemie ingenieur technik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.365
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1522-2640
pISSN - 0009-286X
DOI - 10.1002/cite.330600306
Subject(s) - phosphoric acid , fuel cells , electrochemical energy conversion , molten carbonate fuel cell , hydrogen fuel , materials science , hydrogen , proton exchange membrane fuel cell , membrane , chemical engineering , chemistry , waste management , electrochemistry , engineering , organic chemistry , electrode , biochemistry , anode , metallurgy
Electrochemical energy conversion in fuel cells. With the exception of high temperature fuel cells, fuel cells burn hydrogen fuel exclusively at low temperature giving energy conversion efficiencies of 40 to 60%. Alkaline cells, phosphoric acid cells, and membrane cells operate at low temperatures, whereas molten carbonate cells and zirconium dioxide membrane cells are designed as high temperature cells. The alcaline fuel cell has so far been used only for special purposes, such as space missions and miltary applications. The phosphoric acid cell is suitable for modular heating plant between 0.5 and 5 MW which are fueled with natural gas. It has demonstrated its technical reliability in a large‐scale field test in the USA and an economical breakthrough is expected in the next few years. The two high temperature cells face a longer development phase, yet hold promise of better econmic performance thanks to their greater efficiency.