Scientists develop new system to significantly improve fuel cell efficiency

SEOUL, Sept. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korean scientists on Sunday said they have developed a system to raise the efficiency of fuel cells by over 20 percent, which can speed up commercial production of the futuristic power generation source. The team led by Inje University professor Kim Hyung-man said they have effectively overcome the so-called water flooding problem that has been one of the obstacles to full-fledged fuel cell development. Fuel cell refers to a system that can convert chemical energy from a natural fuel source, such as hydrogen, directly into electricity. Such an arrangement can give mankind an almost limitless clean energy supply. Local researchers, at the university in Gimhae, about 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, who received funding from the science ministry and the National Research Foundation of Korea, said they overcame the flooding problem created in the energy generation process. "By creating a special 'channel' and membrane to filter the water, the new system can prevent disruptions in the chemical reaction in fuel cells required to make electric power," the scientists claimed. They said laboratory tests showed power generation efficiency going up as high as 23 percent with the special system in place. Improvements are measured in power density converted into kilowatts. Better power intensity translates into higher output with less fuel material. The Inje team said that if the new system can be developed fully, it could open new horizons for South Korea that relies almost exclusively on imported energy sources to drive its economy. It could also drastically reduce the country's carbon dioxide emissions that are cited for causing global warming. The latest findings have been published in the latest on-line issue of the international Electrochemistry Communications journal.