History

Historical Perspective

Sir William Grove developed the first fuel cell in England in 1839. His experiments during this time on electrolysis — the use of electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen — led to the first mention of a device that would later be termed the "fuel cell."

Grove believed that if it was possible to split water into hydrogen and oxygen with electricity, the reverse of the electrolysis process — to generate electricity from the reaction of oxygen with hydrogen — should also be possible. To test this theory, he enclosed two platinum strips in separate sealed bottles, one containing hydrogen and the other containing oxygen. When these containers were immersed in dilute sulphuric acid, a current began to flow between the two electrodes and water was formed in the gas bottles. To increase the voltage produced, Grove linked several of these devices in series and produced what he referred to as a "gas battery." The chemists Ludwig Mond and Charles Langer coined the term "fuel cell" in 1889 as they attempted to build the first practical device using air and industrial coal gas.

Scientists and engineers soon learned that they would have to overcome many hurdles if this new technology was to be commercialized. By the end of the 19^th century, the internal combustion engine was emerging and the widespread exploitation of fossil fuels sent the fuel cell the way of scientific curiosity.

An engineer, Dr. Francis Thomas Bacon, at Cambridge University in England, wrote the next major chapter in the fuel cell story. In 1932, Bacon resurrected the machine developed by Mond and Langer and implemented a number of modifications to the original design. These included replacing the platinum electrodes with less expensive nickel gauze. He also substituted the sulphuric acid electrolyte for alkali potassium hydroxide, a substance less corrosive to the electrodes. This device, which he named the "Bacon Cell," was in essence the first alkaline fuel cell (AFC). Another 27 years would pass until Bacon could produce a truly workable fuel cell. In 1959, Bacon demonstrated a machine capable of producing 5 kW of power, enough to power a welding machine.

Harry Karl Ihrig of Allis-Chalmers, a farm equipment manufacturer in the U.S., was also intrigued with fuel cell technology. His breakthrough, late in 1959, was demonstrating the first fuel cell-powered vehicle. By combining 1008 cells, he produced a fuel cell stack, which could generate 15 kW and was capable of powering a 20 hp tractor.

Contemporary Perspective

Beginning in the late 1950s and early 1960s, there was renewed interest in the fuel cell. NASA was looking for a way to power a series of upcoming manned space flights. Using batteries for power had already been ruled out due to weight considerations. Solar energy was too expensive at the time and nuclear power was determined to be too risky. In NASA's search for an alternative, the fuel cell was thought to be a possible solution. NASA sponsored efforts to develop practical working fuel cells that could be used during these space flights. These efforts led to the development of the first Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC).

In 1955, while NASA was conducting research, a scientist working at General Electric (GE) modified the original fuel cell design. Willard Thomas Grubb used a sulphonated polystyrene ion-exchange membrane as the electrolyte. Three years later another GE chemist, Leonard Niedrach, devised a way of depositing platinum onto this membrane, which ultimately became known as the "Grubb-Niedrach fuel cell." GE and NASA developed this technology together resulting in its use on the Gemini space project. This was the first commercial use of a fuel cell.

In the early 1960s, aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney licensed the Bacon patents for the Alkaline Fuel Cell (AFC). With the goal of reducing the weight and designing a longer-lasting fuel cell than the GE PEM design, Pratt & Whitney improved the original Bacon design. As a result, Pratt & Whitney won a contract from NASA to supply these fuel cells to the Apollo spacecraft. Alkali cells have since been used on most subsequent manned U.S. space missions, including those of the Space Shuttle.

During the 1970s, fuel cell technology was developed for systems on Earth. The oil embargos of 1973 and 1979 helped to push along the research effort of the fuel cell as the U.S. Government was looking for a way to become less dependent on petroleum imports.

A number of companies and government organizations began serious research into overcoming the obstacles to widespread commercialization of the fuel cell. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, a large research effort was dedicated to developing the materials needed, identifying the optimum fuel source and drastically reducing the cost of this technology.

During the 1980s, fuel cell technology began to be tested by utilities and automobile manufacturers. Technical breakthroughs during the decade included the development of the first marketable fuel cell-powered vehicle in 1993 by the Canadian company, Ballard.

In the last few years, fuel cells have been installed in hospitals and schools. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) http://www.dodfuelcell.com/ Fuel Cell Program has supported the installation of 30 PAFC systems generating 200 kW each to demonstrate the technology in real-world environments, support further commercialization of this technology and learn the role of these systems in DoD facilities. In addition, most of the major automotive companies have unveiled prototype fuel cell-powered cars. Trials of fuel cell-powered buses have taken place in Chicago and Vancouver with other cities in North America and Europe looking to take delivery of these vehicles in the near future.