How does Ballards fuel cell work?
The fuel cell of this success story operates as the reverse of electrolysis. In a fuel cell “stack” hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water, producing electricity in the process. All fuel cells contain an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte. All derive their electric power from the transport of ions (hydrogen atoms stripped of their electrons) through the electrolyte while the electrons move through an external circuit, recombining at the cathode to form water. In the proton exchange membrane (PEM) cell, the membrane becomes the electrolyte. Ballard’s development started from the PEM fuel cell built by General Electric to power Gemini V, an eight day space flight for NASA. All fuel cells produce electric power, which in the case of autos will run an electric motor.
