Fuel Cell Energy Conversion

Abstract

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert the chemical energy of the fuel into electrical energy directly. There are different types of fuel cells, which can be categorized according to their electrolyte type and fuel used. The performance of these fuel cells mainly depends on the materials of their components and the manufacturing method. In this chapter, an introduction to different fuel cell types, the materials and manufacturing methods that can be used for fuel cells, and characterization techniques are first presented. Then, the basic concepts and equations for the thermodynamics and electrochemistry of fuel cells are given. The principles of fuel cell stack design including the calculations of pressure drop within a flow field are discussed. Energy and exergy analyses of integrated fuel cells systems are also presented. This chapter also covers several illustrative examples and a case study on the mathematical modeling of fuel cells. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.