Course Learning Outcomes
- Understanding the difference between electrochemical and chemical reactions.
- Understanding the difference between fuel cell engines and heat engines.
- Ability to distinguish various fuel cell types and their uses in practical applications.
- Understanding the functions of generic fuel cell components.
- Ability to calculate enthalpy and Gibbs energy changes for electrochemical reactions.
- Ability to calculate maximum expected open circuit voltage.
- Ability to calculate thermal voltage.
- Ability to calculate Nernst potential and thermodynamical efficiency.
- Understanding the potential losses
- Ability to draw polarization curve for a generic fuel cell.
- Ability to estimate activation losses.
- Ability to estimate ohmic losses.
- Ability to estimate concentration losses.
- Understanding the electrolyte structure and ion transport in polymer electrolyte fuel cells.
- Understanding the electrolyte structure and ion transport in solid oxide fuel cells.
- Ability to carry out 1-D modeling of a PEFC.
- Understanding the importance of water management in PEFCs.
- Understanding the future directions in Fuel Cell research.
- Understanding the environmental importance of fuel cells in renewable energy systems and stationary applications.