subject: Glossary Of Fuel Cell Terms - Portable Ebook Reader Manufacturer - China Oled Screen Mp3 Player [print this page] The Glossary of fuel cell terms lists the definitions of many terms used within the fuel cell industry. The terms in this fuel cell glossary may be used by fuel cell industry associations, in education material and fuel cell codes and standards to name but a few.
Contents: Top 09 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z - ACRONYMS
A
Activation loss
See overpotential
Adsorption
Adsorption is a process that occurs when a gas or liquid solute accumulates on the surface of a solid or a liquid (adsorbent), forming a film of molecules or atoms (the adsorbate).
Alkali
In chemistry, an alkali is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal element.
Alkali anion exchange membrane
An alkali anion exchange membrane (AAEM) is a semipermeable membrane generally made from ionomers and designed to conduct anions while being impermeable to gases such as oxygen or hydrogen.
Alkaline fuel cell
Alkaline fuel cell (AFC) also known as the Bacon fuel cell.
Alloy
An alloy is a solid solution or homogeneous mixture of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal, which itself has metallic properties.
Alternator
An alternator is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to alternating current electrical energy.
Alternating current
An alternating current (AC) is an electric current whose direction reverses cyclically, as opposed to direct current, whose direction remains constant.
Ambient Air
The air surrounding a given object or system.
Ambient temperature
Ambient temperature (also referred to as room temperature) is a common term to denote a certain temperature within enclosed space.
Ampere
The ampere, in practice often shortened to amp, (symbol: A) is a unit of electric current, or amount of electric charge per second.
Anion
A negatively charged ion; an ion that is attracted to the anode.
Anode
An anode is an electrode through which electric current flows into a polarized electrical device.
Aqueous phase reforming
APR is the production of hydrogen from biomass-derived oxygenated compounds (such as glycerol, sugars and sugar alcohols).
Artificial membrane
An artificial membrane, also called a synthetic membrane, is a membrane prepared for separation tasks in laboratory and industry.
Atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric pressure is the pressure at any given point in the Earth's atmosphere.
Atom
The atom is the smallest unit of an element that retains the chemical properties of that element. An atom has an electron cloud consisting of negatively charged electrons surrounding a dense nucleus. The nucleus contains positively charged protons and electrically neutral neutrons.
Autothermal reforming
Autothermal reforming (ATR) uses oxygen and carbon dioxide or steam in a reaction with methane to form syngas.
Auxiliary power unit
An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle whose purpose is to provide energy for functions other than propulsion.
Availability factor
The availability factor of a power plant is the amount of time that it is able to produce electricity over a certain period, divided by the amount of the time in the period.
B
Contents: Top 09 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z - ACRONYMS
Back pressure
Back pressure usually refers to the pressure exerted on a moving fluid by obstructions or tight bends in the confinement vessel along which it is moving, such as piping or air vents, against its direction of flow.
Baffle
A device or construction used to restrain or regulate, e.g. gas, or a fluid.
Balance of plant
Balance of plant (BOP) (See also MBOP and EBOP).
Battery
In electronics, a battery is a combination of two or more electrochemical cells which store chemical energy and make it available as electrical energy.
Biofuel
Biofuel is defined as solid, liquid or gas fuel derived from recently dead biological material and is distinguished from fossil fuels, which are derived from long dead biological material.
Biogas
Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the biological breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Biogas originates from biogenic material and is a type of biofuel.
Bioreactor
A bioreactor may refer to any device or system that supports a biologically active environment
Biosensor
A biosensor is a device for the detection of an analyte that combines a biological component with a physicochemical detector component.
Bipolar plate
Bipolar plate, conductive plate in a fuel cell stack that acts as an anode for one cell and a cathode for the adjacent cell. The plate may be made of metal or a conductive polymer (which may be a carbon-filled composite). The plate usually incorporates flow channels for the fluid feeds and may also contain conduits for heat transfer. See also MEA.
Black start
A black start is the process of restoring a power station to operation without relying on external energy sources.
Beta-alumina solid electrolyte
Beta-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) is a fast ion conductor material used as a membrane in several types of molten salt electrochemical cell.
Boiling point
The boiling point of a liquid is the water temperature at which the vapor pressure of the liquid equals the environmental pressure surrounding the liquid.
Borax
Borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is an important boron compound, a mineral, and a salt of boric acid.
British thermal unit
The mean British thermal unit (BTU) is 1/180 of the heat required to raise the temperature of one pound (454g) of water from 32F to 212F (0C to 100C) at a constant atmospheric pressure. It is about equal to the quantity of heat required to raise one pound of water 1F (59C).
Busbar
A busbar in electrical power distribution refers to thick strips of copper or aluminium that conduct electricity within a switchboard, fuel cell, distribution board, substation, or other electrical apparatus.
C
Contents: Top 09 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z - ACRONYMS
Capacity
Capacity is the ability to hold, receive or absorb, or a measure thereof, similar to the concept of volume.
Capacity factor
The net capacity factor of a power plant is the ratio of the actual output of a power plant over a period of time and its output if it had operated at full nameplate capacity the entire time.
Capital cost
Capital cost are costs incurred on the purchase of fuel cells, buildings, construction and equipment to be used in the use of fuel cells or the rendering of it.
Carbon
Carbon (C), an atom and primary constituent of hydrocarbon fuels. Carbon is routinely left as a black deposit on engine parts, such as pistons, rings, and valves, by the combustion of fuel.
Carbon black
Carbon black is a material produced by the incomplete combustion of heavy petroleum products such as FCC tar, coal tar, ethylene cracking tar, and a small amount from vegetable oil.
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide (chemical formula: CO2) is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom.
Carbon dioxide sensor
A carbon dioxide sensor (CO2) is an instrument for the measurement of carbon dioxide gas. The most common principles for CO2 sensors are infrared gas sensors (NDIR) and chemical gas sensors.
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO, is a colorless, odorless, tasteless yet highly toxic gas.
Carbon monoxide detector
A carbon monoxide detector is a device that detects the presence of the toxic gas carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless and odorless compound produced by incomplete combustion and lethal at high levels.
Carbon paper
Carbon paper (originally carbonic paper) is paper coated on one side with a layer of a loosely bound dry ink or pigmented coating, usually bound with wax.
Carnot cycle
The Carnot cycle is a particular thermodynamic cycle, modeled on the hypothetical Carnot heat engine.
Catalysis
Catalysis is the process in which the rate of a chemical reaction is increased by means of a chemical substance known as a catalyst.
Catalyst
A catalyst is a chemical substance that increases the rate of a reaction without being consumed; after the reaction it can potentially be recovered from the reaction mixture chemically unchanged.
Catalyst poisoning
Catalyst poisoning refers to the effect that a catalyst can be 'poisoned' if it reacts with another compound that bonds chemically (similar to an inhibitor) but does not release, or chemically alters the catalyst.
Catalytic partial oxidation
In catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) the use of a catalyst for partial oxidation reduces the required temperature to around 800C - 900C. The choice of reforming technique depends on the sulfur content of the fuel being used. CPOX can be employed if the sulfur content is below 50 ppm. A higher sulfur content would poison the catalyst, so the TPOX procedure is used for such fuels.
Cathode
A cathode is an electrode through which (positive) electric current flows out of a polarized electrical device.
Cation
A cation is a positively charged ion.
Celsius
The degree Celsius (C) can refer to a specific temperature on the Celsius scale as well as serve as a unit increment to indicate a temperature interval (a difference between two temperatures or an uncertainty).
Centimeter
A centimetre (American spelling: centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one hundredth of a metre, which is the current SI base unit of length.
Centrifugal governor
A centrifugal governor is a specific type of governor that controls the speed by regulating the amount of fuel (or working fluid) admitted, so as to maintain a near constant speed whatever the load or fuel supply conditions.
Ceramic
The word ceramic is derived from the Greek word (keramikos). The term covers inorganic non-metallic materials which are formed by the action of heat.
Cermet
A cermet is a composite material composed of ceramic (cer) and metallic (met) materials.
Chemical thermodynamics
In thermodynamics, chemical thermodynamics is the mathematical study of the interrelation of heat and work with chemical reactions or with a physical change of state within the confines of the laws of thermodynamics.
Circuit
An circuit is a closed path formed by the interconnection of electronic components through which an electric current can flow.
Circuit diagram
A circuit diagram (also known as an electrical diagram, wiring diagram, elementary diagram, or electronic schematic) is a simplified conventional pictorial representation of an electrical circuit.
Circulation
In fluid dynamics, circulation is the line integral around a closed curve of the fluid velocity.
Climate change
Climate change is any long-term significant change in the verage weather that a given region experiences.
Cogeneration
Cogeneration (also combined heat and power, CHP) is the use of a heat engine or a power station to simultaneously generate both electricity and useful heat.
Combustion
Combustion or burning is a complex sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat or both heat and light in the form of either a glow or flames.
Combustion chamber
A combustion chamber is the part of an engine in which fuel is burned.
Composite material
Composite materials (or composites for short) are engineered materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties and which remain separate and distinct on a macroscopic level within the finished structure.
Compressed hydrogen
Compressed hydrogen (CGH2, CH2 or CH2) is the gaseous state of the element hydrogen which is kept under pressure.
Compressed natural gas
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline (petrol), diesel, or propane fuel.
Concentration
In chemistry, concentration is the measure of how much of a given substance there is mixed with other substances.
Condensate
Condensate, the liquid phase produced by the condensation of steam or any other gas
Condensation
Condensation is the change of the physical state of aggregation (or simply state) of matter from gaseous phase into liquid phase.
Condenser
In systems involving heat transfer, a condenser is a heat exchanger which condenses a substance from its gaseous to its liquid state.
Contamination
Contamination is the introduction of material that "does not belong there".
Coulomb
The coulomb (symbol: C) is the SI unit of electric charge.
Countercurrent exchange
Countercurrent exchange is a mechanism used to transfer some property of a fluid from one flowing current of fluid to another across a semipermeable membrane or thermally-conductive material between them.
Cryogenic liquefaction
Cryogenic liquification is the process through which gases such as nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, and natural gas are liquefied under pressure at very low temperatures.
Current
see electric current.
Current collector
The current collector is a term used to describe the conductive material in a fuel cell that collects electrons (on the anode side) or disburses electrons (on the cathode side). Current collectors are microporous (to allow for fluid flow through them) and lie in between the catalyst/electrolyte surfaces and the bipolar plates.
D
Contents: Top 09 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z - ACRONYMS
DC to DC converter
In electronic engineering, a DC to DC converter is a circuit which converts a source of direct current (DC) from one voltage level to another. It is a class of power converter.
Density
The density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume
Desiccant
A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains a state of dryness (desiccation) in its local vicinity in a moderately-well sealed container.
Detection limit
In analytical chemistry, the detection limit, lower limit of detection, or LOD (limit of detection), is the lowest quantity of a substance that can be distinguished from the absence of that substance (a blank value) within a stated confidence limit (generally 1%).
Dew point
The dew point (sometimes spelled dewpoint) is the temperature to which a given parcel of air must be cooled, at constant barometric pressure, for water vapor to condense into water.
Diffusion
Diffusion is part of transport phenomena. Diffusion is the movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration by random molecular motion.
Direct borohydride fuel cell
Direct borohydride fuel cell (DBFC) a subcategory of alkaline fuel cells
Direct carbon fuel cell
Direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC), a fuel cell that uses a carbonaceous material as a fuel.
Direct current
Direct current (DC) is the unidirectional flow of electric charge.
Direct-ethanol fuel cell
Direct-ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) a subcategory of Proton-exchange fuel cells where, the fuel, ethanol, is not reformed, but fed directly to the fuel cell.
Direct methanol fuel cell
Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) subcategory of proton-exchange fuel cells where the methanol (CH3OH) fuel is not reformed as in the indirect methanol fuel cell, but fed directly to the fuel cell
Dispersion
Dispersion, in fluid dynamics is dispersive mass transfer, which is the spreading of mass from areas of high to low concentration
Distributed Generation
Distributed generation, also called on-site generation, dispersed generation, embedded generation, decentralized generation, decentralized energy or distributed energy, generates electricity from many small energy sources.
Doping
In semiconductor production, doping is the process of intentionally introducing impurities into an extremely pure (also referred to as intrinsic) semiconductor in order to change its electrical properties.
Downtime
Downtime or outage refers to a period of time or a percentage of a timespan that a system is unavailable or offline.
E
Contents: Top 09 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z - ACRONYMS
Effluent
Effluent is an outflowing of water from a natural body of water, or from a man-made structure.
Electrical Balance of Plant
Electrical Balance of Plant (EBOP) ,the user interface panel, control equipment, and converting the fuel cell DC power to AC power.
Electricity
Electricity is a general term that encompasses a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge.
Electrical conductivity
Electrical conductivity or specific conductivity is a measure of a material's ability to conduct an electric current.
Electrical efficiency
The electrical efficiency of an entity (a device, component, or system) in electronics and electrical engineering is defined as useful power output divided by the total electrical power consumed (a fractional expression), typically denoted by the Greek letter small Eta ().
Electrical insulation
An electrical insulator is a material that resists the flow of electric current. It is an object intended to support or separate electrical conductors without passing current through itself.
Electrical resistance
Electrical resistance is a ratio of the degree to which an object opposes an electric current through it, measured in Ohms.
Electric circuit
An electrical circuit is a network that has a closed loop, giving a return path for the current. A network is a connection of two or more components, and may not necessarily be a circuit.
Electric current
Electric current is the flow (movement) of electric charge. The SI unit of electric current is the ampere.
Electricity generation
Electricity generation is the process of converting non-electrical energy to electricity.
Electric power conversion
In electrical engineering, power conversion has a more specific meaning, namely converting electric power from one form to another.
Electrochemistry
Electrochemistry is a branch of chemistry that studies chemical reactions which take place in a solution at the interface of an electron conductor (a metal or a semiconductor) and an ionic conductor (the electrolyte), and which involve electron transfer between the electrode and the electrolyte or species in solution.
Electrochemical cell
An electrochemical cell is a device used for generating an electromotive force (voltage) and current from chemical reactions.
Electrochemical gas sensor
Electrochemical gas sensors are gas detectors that measure the volume of a target gas by oxidizing or reducing the target gas at an electrode and measuring the resulting current.
Electrode
An electrode is an electrical conductor used to make contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit (e.g. a semiconductor, an electrolyte or a vacuum).
Electro-galvanic fuel cell
Electro-galvanic fuel cell (EGFC)an electrical device used to measure the concentration of oxygen gas in scuba diving and medical equipment.
Electroosmotic flow
Electroosmotic flow (or Electro-osmotic flow, often abbreviated EOF) is the motion of liquid induced
