Context:
Recently, ISRO successfully tests Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell on PSLV-C58’s orbital platform POEM3.
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell:
- Also known as proton exchange membrane fuel cells
- An electrochemical device that convert chemical energy into electrical energy
- Converts – Hydrogen and oxygen into electricity, water, and heat.
- It uses a proton conducting polymer membrane as the electrolyte and typically use hydrogen as the fuel.
- Advantages –
- High Efficiency
- Clean Operation – Only water as a by-product
- The water produced by the PEMFC can be used for onboard consumption or for electrolysis to generate additional oxygen.
- Test Platform – Orbital platform (POEM3)
PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM3):
- A platform for testing new technologies in space under real-world conditions.
- Launched aboard – PSLV-C58
Fuel Cell:
- An electrochemical device
- Converts – Chemical energy of a fuel (like hydrogen) and an oxidant (like oxygen) directly into electricity.
- Produce electricity in the form of direct current (DC).
- Advantages –
- Unlike batteries, stores chemical energy that gets converted to electrical energy
- Continuously produce electricity as long as they are supplied with fuel and oxidant.
- Applications – Transportation vehicles, spacecrafts, portable devices, stationary power supply etc.
Major Types of Fuel Cells:
- Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells – Uses a thin, solid polymer membrane as the electrolyte and are well-suited for portable applications.
- Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) – Uses a ceramic electrolyte that can operate at high temperatures.
- Highly efficient than PEMFCs
- More expensive and complex than PEMFCs.
- Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFCs) – Uses a liquid electrolyte made of potassium hydroxide (KOH)
- Less efficient than PEMFCs and SOFCs
- Less expensive and can be more tolerant of impurities in the fuel
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
With reference to ‘fuel cells’ in which hydrogen-rich fuel and oxygen are used to generate electricity, consider the following statements:
1. If pure hydrogen is used as a fuel, the fuel cell emits heat and water as by-products.
2. Fuel cells can be used for powering buildings and not for small devices like laptop computers.
3. Fuel cells produce electricity in the form of Alternating Current (AC)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
Explanation:
Statement 2 is not correct:
Laptop computers, cellular phones, and hearing aids could be powered by portable fuel cells.
Statement 3 is not correct:
Fuel cells produce electricity in the form of direct current (DC)
