Clean Fuel Cell Energy: Comparision of fuel cells with batteries

Keep in touch
Browse Clean Fuel Cell Energy
Click the categories below to view information, community, and products.
Get Your Free Fuel Cell Booklet!
Would you like to learn more about fuel cells and basic electronics? Improve basic fuel cell design? Don’t take another step without downloading your Free Fuel Cell & Testing Kit. Just enter your full e-mail address and click submit.

Clean Fuel Cell Energy Blog
Are you interested in learning more about the future of alternative energy? Visit our blog to view or post questions and answers about the future of energy. Go ->
View our best selling educational kits
These kits make the perfect introduction to solar, fuel cell and wind power -- from basic parts to a fully-functioning product in easy to follow steps. Go ->
Cast your vote
Cast your vote in our anonymous poll so that we can better serve you.
Do you like Clean Fuel Cell Energy's new website?
Yes
No
Free Web Poll
Free Fuel Cell News
Get the latest fuel cell industry news everyday from our RSS News Feeds!
Clean Fuel Cell Energy Articles
Learn more about fuel cells and other alternative energy technologies by viewing our latest articles. Go ->
Build your own fuel cell
We carry all of the scientific materials and components necessary to build your own fuel cell. Go ->
Educational books for scientists, engineers, and students
Get the latest information on fuel cells and other types of renewable energy. Whether you’re just starting in the industry, or want to further your fuel cell knowledge, we’ve got a book for you. Go ->

Comparision of fuel cells with batteries

Comparison with Batteries

A fuel cell has many similar characteristics with batteries, but also differs in many respects. Both are electrochemical devices that produce energy directly from an electrochemical reaction between the fuel and the oxidant. The battery is an energy storage device. The maximum energy available is determined by the amount of chemical reactant stored in the battery itself. A battery has the fuel and oxidant reactants built into itself (onboard storage), in addition to being an energy conversion device. In a secondary battery, recharging regenerates the reactants. This involves putting energy into the battery from an external source. The fuel cell is an energy conversion device that theoretically has the capability of producing electrical energy for as long as the fuel and oxidant are supplied to the electrodes. Figure 1 shows a comparison of a fuel cell and battery.

Figure 1. Comparison of a fuel cell and a battery

The lifetime of a primary battery is limited because when the amount of chemical reactants stored in a battery runs out, the battery stops producing electricity. In addition, when a battery is not being used, a very slow electrochemical reaction takes place that limits the lifetime of the battery. The electrode of a battery is also used in the process; therefore, the lifetime of the battery is dependent on the lifetime of the electrode.

In comparison, a fuel cell is an energy conversion device where the reactants are supplied. The fuels are stored outside the fuel cell. A fuel cell can supply electrical energy as long as fuel and oxidant are supplied. The amount of energy that can be produced is theoretically unlimited as long as the fuel and oxidant are supplied. Also, no “leakage” occurs in a fuel cell, and no corrosion of cell components occurs when the system is not in use.

Send Page To a Friend

Rate this article: