Can we store the electrical energy produced by PEM fuel cells? Maybe stack of them. If so, how do you design the energy storage using a battery or something?
Dear Fariz Maulana, When used as an energy storage device, the fuel cell is combined with a fuel generation device, commonly an electrolyzer, to create a Regenerative Fuel Cell (RFC) system, which can convert electrical energy to a storable fuel and then use this fuel in a fuel cell reaction to provide electricity when needed.
There still are myriad fuel sorts that can be utilised for energy storage (gas, oil, bio - fuels), however these fuels are n't seem invariably ideal for various applications due to volumetric necessities, storage span intensity, or the amount of energy that must be transported. Non-fuel energy storage, such like batteries, has a wide array of political influence capacities (1 kW to 1 MW); regrettably, the gravimetric energy density is limited, and energy cannot be stored in batteries for long periods. As a result, alternative techniques of energy storage are pertinent for distinct applications.
The RFC is evolving rapidly continue providing high power and high storage abilities at a substantial portion of the cost of traditional lead–acid batteries, and it may acquire economic potential ahead of time than many PEM fuel cell architectures that necessitate reformed hydrocarbons. This is directly attributable to the low cost and widespread provision of medium pressure hydrogen storage, recent advances in self-pressuring PEM electrolyzers, and the growing trend of the both primary and reversible PEM fuel cell stacks and systems. Two of the three major components of the RFC, the PEM electrolyzer and hydrogen storage, are now available commercially, and the third, the fuel cell or reversible cell, is quickly progressing. The storage of hydrogen in moderate pressure tanks is cost-effective, and besides tank size is a bottleneck; it is appropriate for distant location or industrial uses. The expansion of both high pressure power generation and low pressure solid phase storage in hydrides or carbon will increase acceptance and use.
Hope you might find the answer useful, thanks and best wishes 🙂