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Fuel Cells- New Energy for the Future

Jeffrey Havelin, P.E.


Course Outline

This course will review the design, operation, and theory of fuel cells, with an emphasis on the hydrogen based fuel cells in operation today.

More people are driving more cars today than ever before, more than 200 million vehicles are on the road in the U.S. alone. But the car has contributed to our air and water pollution and forced us to rely on imported oil from the Middle East, helping to create a significant trade imbalance. Today many people think fuel cell technology will play a pivotal role in a new technological renaissance, just as the internal combustion engine vehicle revolutionized life at the beginning of the 20th century. Such innovation would have a global environmental and economic impact.

Hydrogen-powered fuel cells represent a radically different approach to energy conversion, one that could replace conventional power generation technologies like engines and turbines in applications such as automobiles and small power plants.

This course is based entirely on Fuel Cells Green Power - Publication LA-UR-99-3231, published by Los Alamos National Laboratory under contract with the US Department of Energy. This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials. You will be quizzed on the attached document in its entirety.

Learning Objective

At the completion of this course the student will have reviewed and become familiar the following topics concerning fuel cell technology:


Intended Audience

This course would be very informative for engineers or architects who are interested in learning renewable energy, fuel cell technology, or zero emission vehicles.


Course Introduction

This course will review the design, operation, and theory of fuel cells, with an emphasis on the hydrogen based fuel cells in operation today.

Hydrogen-powered fuel cells represent a radically different approach to energy conversion, one that could replace conventional power generation technologies like engines and turbines in applications such as automobiles and small power plants.

Expanded use of hydrogen as an energy carrier for America could help address concerns about energy security, global climate change, and air quality. Hydrogen can be derived from a variety of domestically available primary sources, including fossil fuels, renewables, and nuclear power. Another key benefit is that the by-products of conversion are generally benign for human health and the environment. Despite these compelling benefits, realization of a hydrogen economy faces multiple challenges. Unlike gasoline and natural gas, hydrogen has no existing, large-scale supporting infrastructure-and building one will require major investment. Although hydrogen production, storage, and delivery technologies are currently in commercial use by the chemical and refining industries, existing hydrogen storage and conversion technologies are still too costly for widespread use in energy applications.


Course Content

This course is based entirely on Fuel Cells Green Power- Publication LA-UR-99-3231, published by Los Alamos National Laboratory under contract with the US Department of Energy.

The link to the course materials is as follows:

Fuel Cells Green Power- Publication LA-UR-99-3231


You need to open or download above document to study this course.


Course Summary

At the completion of this class the design professional should understand the principles, construction, and operation of fuel cells.


Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.


DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.