 |
 |
Getting Inside Fuel Cells
Published October 2001 More than 30 years after the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) first called on them to power the Gemini and Apollo space missions, fuel cells are beginning to draw more attention as a viable alternative energy source. Though still expensive when compared to power available from local utilities, the reliability of fuel cells and their increasing ability to handle large electrical loads makes them attractive--especially for companies that demand clean, uninterruptible electricity."They run about five times more in up-front costs when you compare them with utility-provided power, but there are some technological innovations in the pipeline that will really reduce fuel cell costs," says Joe Bartoszek, facilities manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "Right now, almost any fuel cell you buy is going to be a prototype since they're not mass produced yet." Operating as a type of battery, a fuel cell consists of an electrolyte adjoined on either side by an electrode. When fuel is fed into the cell, oxygen flows over one electrode and hydrogen over the other, producing electricity. As a result of the chemical reaction, a fuel cell also creates water and heat, which, in building applications, are often put to use for facility heating and cooling. In addition, fuel cells produce no emissions, unlike the power plants (fed by fuels such as natural gas, coal, biomass, etc.) that typically provide much of the electricity feeding the utility grid system. While it's common for fuel cells to draw on natural gas to create power, they can convert a variety of other fuels to electricity--including propane, marine diesel, carbon dioxide, simulated coal gasification, liquid hydrogen/oxygen, and gas from landfill and wastewater treatment developments. NASA space shuttle flights rely on fuel cells supplied with liquid hydrogen; in addition, the Range Control Center at Florida's Canaveral Air Force Station, a 100,000-sf communications facility, is powered by fuel cells using natural gas. According to Bartoszek, the cost of investing in a fuel cell system is more than offset by the stable power it produces and the little effort needed to maintain it. "First of all, you have reliable power with no spikes," he says. "Plus, you're looking at only a week's worth of maintenance every five to seven years. And if you're exposed to hurricanes as we are, fuel cells are invulnerable to these kinds of disasters." In building applications, fuel cells can come equipped with electronic components that track and provide feedback on the system's performance. Should trouble arise, some cells could be shut down while others continue to operate at peak capacity. Fuel cells also can be monitored remotely, much like automated building control systems. Despite their technological progress--and their allure in the face of deregulating power markets and potential drop-offs in power supplies and reliability--Bartoszek believes that fuel cells may experience stunted growth during the next few years. "If President Bush drills for oil in Alaska, the administration is probably not going to encourage new energy technology," Bartoszek says. "They're going to exploit the tried and true. I think it's going to be a slow climb for fuel cells." --J.M. |
Circulate to:
[ ] [ ] [ ] Biography As facilities manager for the National Aeronautics & Space Administration's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Joe Bartoszek oversees and participates in facility maintenance, design, construction, long-term utilization planning, and spending. Buildings under his care include the Life Sciences Support Facility, a laboratory used to process living experiments for flight into space; the Operations & Checkout Facility, which contains more than three million sf of clean room, laboratory, and office space; and the Vehicle Assembly Building, where the final assembly of the launch-ready space shuttle takes place. Other recent projects include serving as the design engineer for ground support equipment used to service and maintain the space shuttle's fuel cell system. For more information Joe Bartoszek Fuel Cell Process Flow Notes: This diagram shows the inner workings of a fuel cell assembly. At First National's Technology Center, two fuel cells provide electricity for the building's critical computer activities; another two provide backup power. Hot water, the only emission or byproduct created by the fuel cells, serves as the primary source of heat for the building and melts any snow and ice that coats the dry moat surrounding the facility. (Image courtesy of NASA.) |
Copyright 2008 Tradeline Inc. All Rights Reserved ISSN: 1096-4894 | |