Drivers for fuel cells

February 2003 Review of UK Fuel Cell Commercial Potential - this study provided an assessment of the main applications for fuel cells, the drivers for fuel cells in these areas and the fuel cell technologies likely to be chosen. The UK was assessed both as a potential market for fuel cells and as a supply base, with its strengths and weaknesses used as a basis for identifying key opportunities. 

The committee believes that PEM electrolysis is subject to the same basic cost reduction drivers as those for fuel cells. Cost breakthroughs in (1) catalyst formulation and loading, (2) bipolar plate/flow field, (3) membrane expense and durability, (4) volume manufacturing of subsystems and modules by third parties, (5) overall design simplifications, and (6) scale economies (within limits) all promise to lower... 

Mourato, S., Saynor, B. Hart, D. 2004 Greening London s black cabs a study of drivers preferences for fuel-cell taxis . Energy Policy, 34 1236-1250. 

Few data are available for the precious metal requirements, which are one of the most important cost drivers in fuel-cell technology. The progress achieved in the reduction of precious metal requirements for PEFCs in automotive appHcations is shown in Table 1.4. 

A study by GM estimates that 10 billion to 15 billion would pay for 11,700 fueling stations in major urban areas. This would be enough so a driver could always be within two miles of a hydrogen station in these major urban areas with a station every 25 miles along main highways. These hydrogen stations would support about one million fuel cell vehicles. 

In GM s Hy-wire hydrogen powered concept vehicle, there is a fuel cell for the power source and electronics replace mechanical parts in the steering and braking systems. The driver looks through a large, sloped windshield that covers space usually taken up by an engine. There is no dashboard, instrument panel, steering wheel or pedals, only a set of adjustable footrests. 

The FCX-V2 used a Honda designed fuel cell and reformer. Downsizing the methanol reformer remained to be done and both test cars had room only for a driver and passenger. Fuel cell components took up the rear seats. The need to test fuel cell cars under real-life conditions is one reason Honda joined DaimlerChrysler in the California Fuel Cell Partnership. More recently Honda announced the first lease of its advanced... 

A hydrogen-based economy could be the ideal scenario for personal transportation. The ultimate goal is a fuel cell car that is competitive in price and performance with the internal combustion vehicle. Some early users will pay a premium for new technology, but most drivers will not pay 20-30% more for similar performance. 

The overarching drivers for the development of hydrogen technologies are climate change and reductions in oil consumption with additional benefits in emissions reductions. The use of hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles can reduce oil use and carbon plus other emissions in the transportation sector, while hydrogen can enable clean, reliable energy for stationary and portable power applications. 

Now let the reasons for this insistence on the study of the steady state of an electrode reaction be expounded. The main reason is simply that electrochemical reactions are useful at the steady state. It is most desirable for the current density in a reactor carrying out some organic synthesis to remain constant over hours or days whde the synthesis is going on. It would not be desirable in a fuel cell producing power to run a car if the rate of the electrochemical reaction in it—hence the power output and thus the speed of the car—varied out of control of the driver. 

The answers to the above questions will be the main drivers in choosing the most appropriate approach for the model definition and implementation. A fuel cell operation, in fact, involves a relatively large and complex number of phenomena occurring at the same time, at different scale levels, and in different components of the fuel cell. 

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