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Brennstoffzellentechnik
Author(s) -
Wendt Hartmut,
Götz Michael
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
chemie in unserer zeit
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.217
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 1521-3781
pISSN - 0009-2851
DOI - 10.1002/ciuz.19970310606
Subject(s) - phosphoric acid , fuel cells , cogeneration , methanol , proton exchange membrane fuel cell , molten carbonate fuel cell , materials science , zero emission , chemical engineering , waste management , chemistry , engineering , electricity generation , metallurgy , power (physics) , organic chemistry , physics , electrode , quantum mechanics , anode
More than 150 years ago Sir Groe invented the fuel cell. Material problems prohibited this type of gassupplied battery to go to market for a very long time. A break‐through was achieved during the last 30 years so that today we can distinguish two low‐temperature fuel cell technologies (phosphoric acid and membrane cells) from two high‐temperature technologies (molten carbonate and oxide ceramic cells) with a working temperature of 650 and 80 to 900°C, respectively. But today only phosphoric acid fuel cells are offered commeriall as containerized 200‐kW cogeneration power plants. Membrane cells are most suitable for electrotraction of aumobiles offering a remarkbly low weight per unit power and working with zero emission. The fuel is, however, a particular problem as hydrogen is not easy to store and too expensive. The ultimate goal is supplying the car with methanol and combusing methanol directly in the fuel cell. However, this aim might be only achieved after several more years of intensive research and development.