Advantages of Fuel Cells (FCs)

The thing that puts most sponsors off financing FC applications if the cost. However, there are several advantages that balances that and makes researching FCs a way to pave for a promising future. These are:

Efficiency: FCs are, in general, more efficient than combustion engines. Adding to that, small FC systems can be just as efficient as large ones.

Simplicity: since FCs have no or few moving parts, they are considered to have a simple and reliable design.

Low emissions: the only by-product of a FC is pure water, thus making them almost emission-less. That characteristic is specially well received in car engine applications, since there is an international trend to reduce emissions from cars.

Silence: since they have no or few moving parts, FCs tend to be very quiet during operation.

These advantages are particularly interesting in combined heat and power systems and on mobile power systems, like vehicles, portable computers, mobile telephones and military communications equipment.

Reference:

LARMINIE, James; DICKS, Andrew. Fuel Cell Systems Explained. 2. ed. West Sussex, England: Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2003. 418 p.

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