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In the words of Karim Nice and Jonathan Strickland of HowStuffWorks.com, a fuel cell is "an electrochemical energy conversion device. A fuel cell converts the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the process it produces electricity." Fuel cells, they explain, "generate electrical power quietly and efficiently, without pollution. Unlike power sources that use fossil fuels, the by-products from an operating fuel cell are heat and water."
"There are several different types of fuel cells, each using a different chemistry, Nice and Strickland add. "Fuel cells are usually classified by their operating temperature and the type of electrolyte they use. Some types of fuel cells work well for use in stationary power generation plants. Others may be useful for small portable applications or for powering cars."
The main types of fuel cells include:
- Polymer exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)
- Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)
- Alkaline fuel cell (AFC)
- Phosphoric-acid fuel cell (PAFC)
- Direct-methanol fuel cell (DMFC)
Michael Graham Richard of TreeHugger.com reports that in early 2008, the Boeing Research & Technology Europe team in Madrid, Spain, "modified a two-seat Dimona motor-glider and installed a hybrid propulsion system based on a hydrogen fuel cell and lithium-ion batteries."
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