Verizon Makes Fuel Cells a Reality
Poster: Aron Schatz
Posted on August 7, 2006 at 12:15:03 PM
Verizon has been using natural gas powered fuel cells for a bit in NY. The article does not mention how they split the hydrogen from the hydrocarbon molecule and if it is efficient. It doesn't make sense to split the hydrogen from the gas and then use the hydrogen as the fuel source. You have to do double the work.
Quote
Verizon's fuel cells use natural gas piped in from a local gas company to obtain the hydrogen atoms for the chemical process. The natural gas is not burned. Instead, the hydrogen atoms are detached from the gas as it is fed into each of the seven cells, and then combined with oxygen atoms from the air to generate direct current electrical power. Heat and water are then vented from each cell, and direct current is converted to alternating current electricity for use in the building.