Scientists all over the world are working on sources of alternative energy to reduce our needs for fossil fuels.
We know that sunlight, wind and geothermal sources of energy are better for everyone.
The word geothermal comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). So, geothermal energy is heat from within the earth.
We can use the steam and hot water produced inside the earth to heat buildings or generate electricity. Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because the water is replenished by rainfall and the heat is continuously produced inside the earth.
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But they also need better utilization of power. Solid oxide efficient fuel cells (SOFCs) seem promising enough for both stationary and mobile applications.
Stationary use can cover residential applications to power plants.
Mobile applications contain energy for ships at sea and in space, as well as for automobiles.
Another advantage of the SOFCs is when they are working in reverse manner as solid oxide electrolyser cells they create pure hydrogen by splitting water.
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Research into; Fuel cells , Solid oxide electrolyzer cells & solar thermal collector.
A fuel cell is an electrochemical conversion device. It produces electricity from fuel (on the anode side) and an oxidant (on the cathode side), which react in the presence of an electrolyte.
The reactants flow into the cell, and the reaction products flow out of it, while the electrolyte remains within it.
Fuel cells can operate virtually continuously as long as the necessary flows are maintained.
Fuel cells are different from electrochemical cell batteries in that they consume reactant from an external source, which must be replenished. – a thermodynamically open system.
By contrast, batteries store electrical energy chemically and hence represent a thermodynamically closed system.
Many combinations of fuels and oxidants are possible. A hydrogen fuel cell uses hydrogen as its fuel and oxygen (usually from air) as its oxidant.
Other fuels include hydrocarbons and alcohols. Other oxidants include chlorine and chlorine dioxide
By definition, the process of any fuel cell could be reversed.
However, a given fuel cell is usually optimized for operating in one mode and may not be built in such a way that it can be operated backwards.
Fuel cells operated backwards generally do not make very efficient systems unless they are purpose-built to do so as in solid oxide electrolyser cells, high pressure electrolysers, unitized regenerative fuel cells and regenerative fuel cells.
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Solid oxide electrolyser cells operate at temperatures for high-temperature electrolysis, typically between 500 and 850°C similar to SOFC.
Advantages of this class of regenerative fuel cells include high efficiencies, long term stability, fuel flexibility, low emissions, and cost.
The largest disadvantage is the high operating temperature which results in longer start up times and mechanical/chemical compatibility issues. Electrolysis of water is increasingly endothermic with temperature; electricity demand is reduced because the joule heat of an electrolysis cell is utilized in the water splitting process at high temperature.
Research is ongoing to add heat from external heat sources such as concentrating solar thermal collectors.
A solar thermal collector is a solar collector specifically intended to collect heat: that is, to absorb sunlight to provide heat.
Although the term may be applied to simple solar hot water panels, it is usually used to denote more complex installations.
There are various types of thermal collectors, such as solar parabolic, solar trough and solar towers. These types of collectors are generally used in solar power plants where solar heat is used to generate electricity by heating water to produce steam which drives a turbine connected to a generator. And geothermal sources.
Find an Alternative Energy for your needs, Green DIY Energy [Open in new window]
We know that sunlight, wind and geothermal sources of energy are better for everyone.
The word geothermal comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). So, geothermal energy is heat from within the earth.
We can use the steam and hot water produced inside the earth to heat buildings or generate electricity. Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because the water is replenished by rainfall and the heat is continuously produced inside the earth.
Find an Alternative Energy for your needs, Green DIY Energy [Open in new window]
But they also need better utilization of power. Solid oxide efficient fuel cells (SOFCs) seem promising enough for both stationary and mobile applications.
Stationary use can cover residential applications to power plants.
Mobile applications contain energy for ships at sea and in space, as well as for automobiles.
Another advantage of the SOFCs is when they are working in reverse manner as solid oxide electrolyser cells they create pure hydrogen by splitting water.
Find an Alternative Energy for your needs, Green DIY Energy [Open in new window]
Research into; Fuel cells , Solid oxide electrolyzer cells & solar thermal collector.
A fuel cell is an electrochemical conversion device. It produces electricity from fuel (on the anode side) and an oxidant (on the cathode side), which react in the presence of an electrolyte.
The reactants flow into the cell, and the reaction products flow out of it, while the electrolyte remains within it.
Fuel cells can operate virtually continuously as long as the necessary flows are maintained.
Fuel cells are different from electrochemical cell batteries in that they consume reactant from an external source, which must be replenished. – a thermodynamically open system.
By contrast, batteries store electrical energy chemically and hence represent a thermodynamically closed system.
Many combinations of fuels and oxidants are possible. A hydrogen fuel cell uses hydrogen as its fuel and oxygen (usually from air) as its oxidant.
Other fuels include hydrocarbons and alcohols. Other oxidants include chlorine and chlorine dioxide
By definition, the process of any fuel cell could be reversed.
However, a given fuel cell is usually optimized for operating in one mode and may not be built in such a way that it can be operated backwards.
Fuel cells operated backwards generally do not make very efficient systems unless they are purpose-built to do so as in solid oxide electrolyser cells, high pressure electrolysers, unitized regenerative fuel cells and regenerative fuel cells.
Find an Alternative Energy for your needs, Green DIY Energy [Open in new window]
Solid oxide electrolyser cells operate at temperatures for high-temperature electrolysis, typically between 500 and 850°C similar to SOFC.
Advantages of this class of regenerative fuel cells include high efficiencies, long term stability, fuel flexibility, low emissions, and cost.
The largest disadvantage is the high operating temperature which results in longer start up times and mechanical/chemical compatibility issues. Electrolysis of water is increasingly endothermic with temperature; electricity demand is reduced because the joule heat of an electrolysis cell is utilized in the water splitting process at high temperature.
Research is ongoing to add heat from external heat sources such as concentrating solar thermal collectors.
A solar thermal collector is a solar collector specifically intended to collect heat: that is, to absorb sunlight to provide heat.
Although the term may be applied to simple solar hot water panels, it is usually used to denote more complex installations.
There are various types of thermal collectors, such as solar parabolic, solar trough and solar towers. These types of collectors are generally used in solar power plants where solar heat is used to generate electricity by heating water to produce steam which drives a turbine connected to a generator. And geothermal sources.
Find an Alternative Energy for your needs, Green DIY Energy [Open in new window]
