Anode: The
negative electrode at which oxidation occurs.
Alkaline
Fuel Cell: A low temperature (80 ° C) liquid
electrolyte hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell.
Catalyst:
A chemical substance that increases the rate of a reaction
without being consumed by that reaction.
Cathode:
The positive electrode at which reduction occurs.
Cell:
An individual unit that produces electrolysis, consisting
of two electrodes and an electrolyte.
Direct
Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC): A type of fuel cell
that uses methanol as a fuel in either liquid or gaseous
form.
Distributed
Generation: Small-scale generation that provides
power at or near user's site rather than a larger scale
centrally located site.
Electrode:
An electric conductor through which a current enters
or exits an instrument or apparatus.
Electrolysis:
An electrochemical process where water is separated
into hydrogen and oxygen.
Electrolyte:
A non-metallic conductor of electricity through which
ions can move.
Fuel Cell:
An electrochemical device that combines oxygen and a
hydrogen fuel resulting in the generation of electrical
energy.
Heat Exchanger:
A mechanical assembly in which heat from one mass is
transferred to another mass.
Membrane:
A material in a fuel cell that acts as a separating
layer for some molecules through allowing other molecules
to pass through.
Molten Carbonate
Fuel Cell (MCFC): A type of very high temperature
(650 ° C) fuel cell that uses molten lithium or
potassium carbonate as the electrolyte.
Phosphoric
Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC): A type of high temperature
(190 ° C) fuel cell that uses phosphoric acid as
the electrolyte.
Proton
Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEM): A low temperature
(100 ° C) fuel cell that uses a thin solid layer
of acid based materials as the electrolyte.
Reformer:
A container in which fuels, heat and other gases are
mixed to produce hydrogen for use in fuel cells.
Solid Oxide Fuel
Cell (SOFC): A very high temperature (1000
° C) fuel cell in which the electrolyte is a solid
form of an oxide, usually a zinc compound.
Stack:
A term referring to a physical assemblage of an adjacent
number of fuel cells connected in a series.
