Solar-Hydrogen-Fuel Cell Prototype as a Source of Renewable Energy Generation

A small renewable energy prototype is presented, integratedby a solar photovoltaic module used for electrolysis of waterwhere the resulting hydrogen was fed to a regenerative fuel cell for aclean electricity generation. A photovoltaic module provided DCpower to an electrolyzer, to produce 56 cm3/min...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Omar Solorza-Feria, Andrés Rodríguez-Castellanos, Ernesto López-Torres
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2007
País:México
Institución:Instituto Politécnico Nacional
Repositorio:Redalyc-IPN
OAI Identifier:oai:redalyc.org:47551203
Acceso en línea:https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=47551203
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Multidisciplinaria (Ciencias Naturales y Exactas)
hydrogen
fuel cell
electrolyzer
Renewable energy
Descripción
Sumario:A small renewable energy prototype is presented, integratedby a solar photovoltaic module used for electrolysis of waterwhere the resulting hydrogen was fed to a regenerative fuel cell for aclean electricity generation. A photovoltaic module provided DCpower to an electrolyzer, to produce 56 cm3/min of hydrogen whichis fed to a fuel cell and generate electricity. This prototype wasdesigned and manufactured to show the future energy scenario ofrenewable energy. For water electrolysis, powders of RuCoOx wereused as anode and nanometric Pt powders as cathode catalysts in apolymer electrolyte membrane. Anode catalyst was prepared bypyrolysis processes and annealed at 550°C. The catalysts wereapplied to an electrode membrane assembly (MEA) and studied galvanostaticallyand under solar illumination in an electrolysis cell. Ahigh electrochemical performance of the electrolyzer was obtainedwith 0.25 A cm-2 at 1.87 V for each single MEA, at 30 ºC and atmosphericpressure of 585 mmHg in Mexico City. The fuel cell stack prototypewas also designed and manufactured with 10 MEAs containing0.4 mg/cm2 of 20 wt.% Pt as anode and cathode, to generate electricalenergy to power on a portable 3.5 watts TV.