Alkaline fuel cell

Not to be confused with Alkaline cell.
Diagram of an Alkaline Fuel Cell:
1. Hydrogen
2. Electron flow
3. Load
4. Oxygen
5. Cathode
6. Electrolyte
7. Anode
8. Water
9. Hydroxide Ions

The alkaline fuel cell (AFC), also known as the Bacon fuel cell after its British inventor, Francis Thomas Bacon, is one of the most developed fuel cell technologies. Alkaline fuel cells consume hydrogen and pure oxygen, to produce potable water, heat, and electricity. They are among the most efficient fuel cells, having the potential to reach 70%.

NASA has used alkaline fuel cells since the mid-1960s, in the Apollo-series missions and on the Space Shuttle.[1]

  1. ^ Handbook of fuel cells: fundamentals, technology, and applications. Chichester, England ; Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. 2003. ISBN 978-0-471-49926-8.