Hydrogen and
fuel cell technology
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells
PEM Fuel Cell Systems
When used in our fuel cell systems, hydrogen is combined with oxygen (gathered from the ambient air surrounding the system) to transform the chemical energy stored in the fuel (hydrogen) and oxidizer (oxygen) into electrical energy and water vapour. The electrical energy gained from this electrochemical reaction can be used to power every application.
The infographic below shows this process in more detail. Hydrogen enters the fuel cell on the top left and splits into two protons and two electrons at the anode side. Hydrogen that doesn’t react is recirculated. The protons pass through the proton exchange membrane (PEM) in the middle, while the electrons take a detour. The electrons taking this detour provide the electrical energy used to power the application. On the right side of the PEM, at the cathode side, oxygen (O2) is split up and meets up with the protons and electrons. The protons and electrons together form hydrogen (H2), which bonds to the oxygen, resulting in water (H2O).