Comparison between the Fuel Cells and Heat Engines II. Operation and Performances

摘要

Thermal Machines have been and are being studied in the field of science called Engineering Thermodynamics and the Electrochemical Devices are being studied in the field of Electrochemistry. The processes studied in these branches of science being very different, scientists have relatively small interactions with each other. Thus, although some of the fundamental concepts and measurements that describe the quantitative and qualitative operation of such machines and devices are different, the general science of energy, called Thermodynamics, should unify them, both conceptually and quantitatively. Right now, we believe that it is mandatory to compare the operation and quantitative description of Thermal Machines and Electrochemical Devices, this enabling the analysis and optimization of complex systems. The two proposed papers deal with this issue, which we consider to be extremely important in the current phase of Solar Energy application development. In this first paper (I), a comparison of Thermal Machines and Electrochemical Devices is performed by illustrating the fundamental concepts used in the quantitative description of their performances. In the second paper (II), the comparison is extended to actual modeling of Thermal Machines and Electrochemical Devices, using the Direct Method from Finite Speed Thermodynamics, which actually unifies methodologically and conceptually both of these domains. This treatment allows the global optimization of SEHE (Solar Energy Hydrogen Energy) Systems, using only one approach, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Besides the field of Solar Energy, Hybrid Vehicles (Fuel Cells and/or High Capacity Batteries coupled with Thermal Engines) could benefit of such a unitary approach and optimization using the Direct Method from Finite Speed Thermodynamics.