A fuel cell is equivalent to a generator: it converts a fuel's chemical energy directly into electricity. The main difference between these energy conversion devices is that the fuel cell acccomplishes this directly, without the two additional...

Fuel cells produce energy through electrochemical reactions rather than through the process of combustion. They convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity and heat. Fuel cells are sometimes compared to batteries because, like batteries, they have...

A fuel cell is a type of battery which converts chemical energy into electrical energy. Its invention goes back more than 150 years, yet its potential is just being realized in the space age. Within a few weeks of Alessandro Volta's invention of his...

Fuel cells convert chemical energy to electrical energy by combining hydrogen from fuel with oxygen from the air. Hydrogen fuel can be supplied in two ways—either directly as pure hydrogen gas or through a "fuel reformer" that...

Device that converts chemical energy of a fuel directly into electricity (&see; electrochemistry). Fuel cells are intrinsically more efficient than most other energy-conversion devices. Electrolytic chemical reactions cause electrons to be released on...

A device for converting the chemical energy of hydrogen to electricity. By-products are water and heat. Of environmental significance is zero emission of carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides. Fuel cells are considered promising in...

A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device. It produces electricity from various external quantities of fuel (on the anode side) and oxidant (on the cathode side). These react in the presence of an electrolyte. Generally, the reactants...