Fuel Cell Demonstation

Eddie Goldstein

This is the demonstration that I do when explaining the Fuel Cell / Solar Cell apparatus for visitors.

What to say / Notes / Photos
What we have here is actually two things in one. This half is a solar cell and electolyzer . . . / Use your hands to show this part.
(Note: the cables that connect the fuel cell to the fan are NOT connected.) /
. . . And this half is a fuel cell. / Use your hands to show this part. /
The Solar Cell converts light energy to electricity.
You can see what I mean if I connect the solar cell directly to the fan. / Note: the cables from the solar cell are connected directly to the fan. The other cable is not connected to anything. /
Try putting your hand in front of the light to block the solar cell. What happens? / Have visitor block the light. The fan stops.
You can see that if it were a cloudy day, or at night, the fan would stop. So, what do you do?
You COULD use this electricity to charge up a battery, then use the battery to run your fan at night. / Unplug the cables from the fan and hold the loose ends up for visitors to see.
I’m going to do the same idea, only a different way, using this equipment. / Plug the cables from the solar cell into the electrolyzer. The other cable should still not be in use. /
The electrolyzer breaks water apart into its two elements. Who can tell me what two elements water is made of? / Hydrogen and Oxygen
Let me give you an analogy: If I want to pull these two magnets apart, it takes energy.
But, I can get that energy back by letting them snap back together.
I put energy IN when I pull the magnets apart, and I can store that energy by holding the magnets apart. Then, I can get the energy back when the magnets snap back together. / Demonstrate this by pulling the two magnets apart, then letting them snap back together.
(Repeat once or twice)
The magnets are stored on the plastic stand that holds up the solar cell. Don’t forget to return them to their spot.
It’s the same idea here. The electricity splits the water into Hydrogen and Oxygen, and it gets stored in these two tubes.
Now, when I want to get the energy back, even if it is at night, and even if the solar cell is not connected, I can still get the energy by connecting the fuel cell to the fan. The Hydrogen and Oxygen recombine and you get energy out. / Turn off the light.
Disconnect the solar cell from the electrolyzer.
Use the other cables to connect the fuel cell to the fan. /
There are several advantages of fuel cells over batteries:
1)They do not use toxic chemicals. The only thing they use is pure water.
2)They are used on the Space Shuttle because they are so much lighter than a battery.
3)If you have a hydrogen-fuel cell car, you don’t even need the oxygen tank. You get the oxygen from the air. And there are lots of ways that you can get pure hydrogen.
4)If we go to a moon or planet where we find water, you can use the electrolyzer to make oxygen, which you can breathe, and hydrogen and oxygen to make rocket fuel for your return to Earth.