someone instruct me on fuel cells

I'm a bit lost at what these are. The only fuel cells I know about (partially) are the ones that aren't entirely developed yet, the hydrogen ones.

What are the type of fuel cells that everyone uses now for racing, and rockcrawling and that junk, because I know you're not using liquid hydrogen. What do they do? What are the advantages? Thanks. _nicko_

I searched gogle..all I found was stuff about hydrogen fuel cells, and distributers of the fuel cells, not info about what they do exactly.

A racing fuel cell is essentially a heavy-gauge metal box with a sponge in it. The "sponge" retains the fuel if the vehicle flips or wrecks.

ahhh...I see...neat stuff...thanks eagle.

This gives a little more detail on a different style fuel cell-

"The car carries 35 gallons (142 liters) of fuel in a fuel cell located behind the driver. This cell is made of a flexible Kevlar and polymer material -- it is more like a bag than a tank. Inside the bag is a sponge-like substance that gives the bag its shape. The bag is designed to withstand a crash without rupturing -- rather than rupturing, it flexes and changes its shape. The idea behind the sponge is to hold the fuel so that, in a severe crash, it does not spray over the driver, other cars or the track. "


Read it here

The sponge also prevents sloshing inside the tank

There are two completely different things called "fuel cells"...

The most common one is what everyone else has been talking about - a fancy gas tank used for racing.

The other is a new form of energy-production where fuels are chemically altered to produce electricity. These are still in early testing. They work, but are not currently commercially viable - though many commercial units DO exist, they are very very expensive. The most common form of this uses hydrogen as it's fuel. Expect these to show up over the next decade or so and BEGIN to revolutionize the entire energy economy - along with all forms (with the exception of perhaps flight) of transportation. Imagine a silent, powerful car that get's 500 mpg, running on the most common element in the universe with hardy any moving parts in the drivetrain. This is what we may be able to acheive with fuel-cells. Non of these, to my knowledge, are used in racing of any type currently.

EDIT: you weren't really interested in hydrogen fuel cells though, were you? perhaps I should read more closely next time...

haha, nope, I know quite a bit about hydrogen fuel cells, along with the future of the "hydrogen economy". My last semester chem teacher was in love with all the hydrogen stuff and taught us how it all works, all the chemical reactions that take, place and all that junk. It's neat stuff, and I can't wait to see it be a viable replacement for fossil fuels. Thanks anyway. _nicko_

gearwhine said:

haha, nope, I know quite a bit about hydrogen fuel cells, along with the future of the "hydrogen economy". My last semester chem teacher was in love with all the hydrogen stuff and taught us how it all works, all the chemical reactions that take, place and all that junk. It's neat stuff, and I can't wait to see it be a viable replacement for fossil fuels. Thanks anyway. _nicko_

Click to expand...

well then, why don't you convert your XJ already?

Maybe when there are "hydrogen stations"....weird