Fuel Cell System: ET1 & EST1 Designs

[The P-manator]

Here are the descriptions of two of my designs.

ET1: Turbine and Electrolysis System

The Turbine:
I have used the water vapour exhaust of a PEM fuel cell to run a turbine to make electricity. After the water vapour has passed through the turbine it goes to electrolysis system. The electricity produced is used with the electricity already made by the fuel cell to power the engine of the car.

The Electrolysis:
Here I use part of the electricity from the turbine to run the electrolysis of the water vapour; creating more hydrogen to get used up by the fuel cell.

Conclusion:
This is basically a self-generating system where the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle all fit nicely together (hopefully). The point of this system is to really make the most electricity possible while being practical.

EST1: Electrolysis, Stirling Engine, and Thermal Room System

The Thermal Room:
This is an invention made by myself. It is a room which traps the heat from the fuel cell to use it in various ways. It is made of a high-temperature-resistant insulator that will not melt at the temperatures it is insulating.

The Stirling Engine:
In this case the thermal room is heating part of Stirling engine. This Stirling engine turns electromagnets to make electricity, which is used in part to power electrolysis (or it can be used fully for that purpose).

The Electrolysis:
The electrolysis in this system is the same as in the ET1 system, although a catalyst would be used here.

Conclusion:
Here I make use of the heat that is just usually wasted in PEM fuel cells to make even more electricity. The success of this system, however, would depend on the catalyst to speed up the electrolysis.

 

[Borek]

The Thermal Room:
This is an invention made by myself. It is a room which traps the heat from the fuel cell to use it in various ways. It is made of a high-temperature-resistant insulator that will not melt at the temperatures it is insulating.

Can you describe how it works?

 

[The P-manator]

OK, well basically it traps the waste heat from the fuel cell and keeps it hot. Then that heat makes the Stirling engine work. The heat is conducted from the fuel cell out through a vent where it is taken by the thermal room. There can also be storage of water vapour inside the thermal room.

 

[mrjeffy321]

The Turbine:
I have used the water vapour exhaust of a PEM fuel cell to run a turbine to make electricity.

You really are producing enough steam fast enough to turn a turbine and generate electricity? How many cells and how large is your PEM fuel cell?

 

[The P-manator]

I am using a 50KW unit that would likely be used in cars as a model. The turbine won't be very big, but just enough to produce some extra electricity. Tests are still to come.