Seite - 49 - in Our Car as Power Plant

49 The fi rst fuel cells were invented in 1838. The fi rst commercial use of fuel cells came more than a century later in NASA space programs to generate power for probes, satellites and space capsules. Since then, fuel cells have been used in many other applications. Fuel cells are used for primary and backup power for commercial, industrial and residential buildings and in remote or inaccessible areas. And nowadays they are also used for transport purposes to power vehicles, including forklifts, buses, airplanes, boats, motorcycles, submarines and our cars. In cars we use the PEM fuel cell (Proton Exchange Membrane, also called Polymer Electrolyte Membrane). This type of fuel cell starts in a second, has an operation temperature of about 80°C and a full load electrical effi ciency of 60% to convert hydrogen into electricity. OUR CAR AS POWER PLANT FUEL CELL TYPES AND CHARACTERISTICS FUEL CELL OPERATING TEMPERATURE SIZE ELECTRIC EFFICIENCY PEM PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE 50-100°C 1-100kW 60% AFC ALKALINE 90-100°C 10-100kW 60% PAFC PHOSPHORIC ACID 150-200°C 400kW 40% MCFC MOLTEN CARBONATE 600-700°C 300kW-3MW 45-50% SOFC SOLID OXIDE 700-1000°C 1kW-2MW 60%