As we all know, pure electric vehicles are a type of new energy vehicles. The batteries used in this model are mainly ternary lithium batteries and some are lithium iron phosphate batteries. In addition to pure electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are also new energy vehicles. So, is a hydrogen fuel cell a battery?
To answer this question, we first need to understand the difference between hydrogen fuel cells and lithium batteries. A hydrogen fuel cell, as the name suggests, is a device that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy through a chemical reaction. Its basic principle is actually the reverse reaction of the electrolysis of water, providing hydrogen and oxygen to the anode and cathode, respectively. Once the hydrogen has diffused towards the exexternally through the anode and reacted with the electrolyte, the electrons are released and reach the cathode via an external charge, thus forming an electric current intended for the vehicle.
For the lithium battery carried in pure electric vehicles, it is an energy storage device. For example, ternary lithium batteries store electrical energy by charging them and release it when needed. Hydrogen fuel cell is a power generation device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. From this point of view, hydrogen fuel cells cannot be called batteries.
However, compared to hydrogen fuel cells and lithium batteries, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Hydrogen fuel cells only require a replenishment of hydrogen energy during use and are relatively fast,while lithium batteries are relatively slow to replenish energy. For example, even if a purely electric vehicle is charged using a fast charging station, it typically takes around three hours to fully charge it.
However, hydrogen energy resupply generally relies on hydrogenation stations, and building hydrogenation bombs is relatively expensive. For example, it would cost around 10 million yuan to build a hydrogen refueling station capable of refueling 200 kilograms of hydrogen. For lithium batteries, the price of building charging piles is relatively cheap. So, for now, the field of new energy vehicles is still dominated by purely electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are relatively rare.
This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahaoand does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.
Principles of production and practical operations.
1. Production principle: hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells generate electrical energy through the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen, while the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen produces hydrogen and oxygen by the decomposition of water with electrical energy. These two processes are actually reversible and a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell can be converted into electrolyzed water to produce hydrogen.
2. Convenient operation: Electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen requires a large amount of electricity, and the efficiency of hydrogen production is low, so the cost is high. Hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells can directly convert chemical energy into electrical energy with high energy conversion efficiency.