Fuel Cell Activity 4

Week 8
From Fuel Cell Activity 1-3, you have utilized the fuel cell for dual functions: (1) to produce
hydrogen fuel and oxygen gas from electrolysis of water; and (2) to convert chemical energy to
electricity from electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. Every fuel cell has two
electrodes (anode and cathode), and an electrolyte (e.g. Nafion as polymer electrolyte membrane,
PEM). Hydrogen atoms enter a fuel cell at the anode where a chemical reaction strips away their
electrons, resulting in "ionized" molecules carried a positive electrical charge (ie. H+). Oxygen
enters the fuel cell at the cathode combines with electrons returning from the electrical circuit
and hydrogen ions traveled through the electrolyte from the anode to form water.
Anode:
Cathode:
Overall:

H2 2H+ + 2e2H+ + 2e- + 1/2 O2 H2O

H2 + 1/2 O2 H2O

The standard potential energy generated from the reaction is

at 25oC and 1 atm
pressure for gases (where V is voltage which has unit of joule, J per coulomb, C) . For nonstandard conditions, the electrical potential energy can be estimated using Nernst equation:
0
Ecel l Ecell

where
R
T
F
Q
n

RT
ln Q
nF

gas constant, 8.3145 J mol-1 K-1

temperature in K
Faraday constant, 96485 Coulombs
reaction quotient*
number of electrons transferred in the reaction as written

The stripped electrons travel through the conductive metal wire to generate electrical current:

where I is the electric current in ampere, A, Q is the amount of electron charges in coulombs, C,
and t is time in second, s. In practice, many fuel cells are usually assembled into a stack
consisted of many single fuel cell to generate sufficient energy required (ie voltage and
amperage) to power the device.
In this fuel cell activity, you group is going to study the electrochemical reaction (REDOX
reaction) occurs in the fuel cell device:

1. Estimate the current that can be generated from your fuel cell device with the maximum
hydrogen fuel loaded.

Use mols of gas produced (use the value determined from report 2 & 3 and
account for water vapour in the system ) and your actual fuel cell run time (either
from demo day or your tests)

2. Estimate the theoretical effect on the fuel cell voltage from 15C up to 50C using Nernst
Equation

Plot the results and discuss about the trend. Include the figure in Report 4.

3. Estimate efficiency of the fuel cell (voltage, current).

Efficiency = (measured value/calculated value) x 100%. Use the voltage and

current you measured and included in Report 3.

Comment on your values if an efficiency is greater than 100%(are values

calculated reasonable?).

Report 4: Due Monday November 16 at 8:20 am

Person 4 of the fuel cell activity group is the leader for Report 4 and is responsible to submit
one copy of the report to online dropbox @ MTE 100 course repository before due date. Report
4 is a research report and must flow cohesively. The report should be 4 pages, including
appendix for detail calculation, and schematics for fuel cell car design if applicable. Be sure to
cite and reference the information properly.
Part 1: Summary of report one to three - Page 1
Summarize the findings from the Fuel Cell Activity Report 1-3. In this report, you need to
consider the presence of water vapour inside the collection chamber.

What you did to work safely with the fuel cell car

What are the main objectives and constraints

The mols of gas in each cylinder (include water vapour in your calculation)

The amount of gas lost due to solubility in water (include water vapour in your
calculation)

The current and voltage measurement from your fuel cell (MTE Lab 2, Report 3)

What changes could your group make (physical, procedural, etc.) to improve the
efficiency of your groups car so that it runs for a longer period of time?

Part 2: Calculation of current and efficiency of the car - Page 2

Estimate the current that can be generated from your fuel cell device with the maximum
hydrogen fuel loaded

Estimate the efficiency of the fuel cell

Part 3: Effect of temperature on the operating voltage- Page 3

Estimate the effect on the voltage of operating your fuel cell from 15C up to 50C

Summarize your data in a figure

Part 4: References and Appendix A- Page 4 and 5

Detailed calculations belong in the appendix, but the key information is included in the
body of the report.

Figures and calculations in the Appendices must be labelled and explained

If you use MS Excel or another spreadsheet program, make sure that your formulas and
data are explained.

References must be appropriate and properly cited according to IEEE style guide

Detailed calculations belong in the appendix, but the key information is included in the
body of the report.

Figures and calculations in the Appendices must be labelled and explained

Calculations should be typed, not scanned copies of hand-written calculations

Learning objectives

CHE 102: apply the concepts of Daltons Law, Henrylaw, Faradays Law and Nernst
equation.

MTE 100: define objectives and constraints and report writing skills