What Is A Fuel
Cell?
In principle, a fuel cell operates like a battery.
Unlike a battery, a fuel cell does not run down or require recharging. It
will produce energy in the form of electricity and heat as long as fuel is
supplied.
A fuel cell consists of two electrodes sandwiched around an
electrolyte. Oxygen passes over one electrode and hydrogen over the other,
generating electricity, water and heat.
![](transit technologies sr attach 4 (3-19-03)_files/diagram.jpg)
Hydrogen fuel is fed into the "anode" of the fuel cell. Oxygen (or air)
enters the fuel cell through the cathode. Encouraged by a catalyst, the
hydrogen atom splits into a proton and an electron, which take different
paths to the cathode. The proton passes through the electrolyte. The
electrons create a separate current that can be utilized before they
return to the cathode, to be reunited with the hydrogen and oxygen in a
molecule of water.
A fuel cell system which includes a "fuel reformer" can utilize the
hydrogen from any hydrocarbon fuel - from natural gas to methanol, and
even gasoline. Since the fuel cell relies on chemistry and not combustion,
emissions from this type of a system would still be much smaller than
emissions from the cleanest fuel combustion processes.
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