Electrical Power Systems Technology

Alternative Power Systems 131

All present fusion power-plant designs have basic problems. Solutions

to these problems, and development of economically attractive commer-

cial systems, will take many years and much money. However, it seems

possible that such systems may someday be developed.

FUEL-CELL SYSTEMS

Another alternative energy system which has been researched is the

fuel cell. Fuel cells convert the chemical energy of fuels into electrical ener-

gy. An advantage of this method is that its efficiency is greater than steam

turbine-driven production systems, since the conversion of energy is di-

rectly from chemical to electrical. Ordinarily, fuel cells use oxygen and

hydrogen gas as fuels, as shown in Figure 5-8. Instead of consuming its

electrodes, as ordinary batteries do, a fuel cell is supplied with chemical

Figure 5-8. Simplified drawing of an oxygen-hydrogen fuel cell