(The Gist of PIB) Polymer Electrolyte Membrane fuel cells [MARCH-2020]

(The Gist of PIB) Polymer Electrolyte Membrane fuel cells

Scientists at International Advanced Research for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad, an autonomous research and development Centre of Department of Science and Technology (DST) have developed Polymer Electrolyte Membrane fuel cells (PEMFC).

PEMFC, in its entirety, has an advantage of operational capability at low-temperatures with applications in decentralised power generation systems.
Through intense research and development efforts in the area of fuel cell technologies, ARCI at its Centre for Fuel Cell Technology, Chennai has developed in-house PEMFC systems in the power range of 1 to 20 kiloWatt (kW) and demonstrated the same in stationary (1-20 kW) and transport applications (1,3,5 kW).
Emergency Operation Centres (EOC) backed with a 10 kW system along with fuel cell stack (providing sustainable electricity using hydrogen gas without the need of grid power), air moving sub systems, power control devices and control and monitoring system is being planned as a natural disaster management measure.

Natural disasters are consequences of calamities like earthquakes, landslides, cyclones, floods, tsunamis, and so on that affect human activities.
Tamil Nadu is generally affected by five to six cyclones every year, of which two to three are severe.
There has been a paradigm shift in the focus of Disaster Management, from response-centric (rescue, relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction) to laying greater emphasis on the other elements of disaster management cycle (prevention, mitigation, and preparedness) as a means to avert the impact of future emergencies.
The Government of Tamil Nadu places equal importance on both the approaches and is keen to develop a robust disaster management system.
The latest concept in disaster management all over the World is about conversion of Control Rooms to Emergency Operation Centres (EOC).
EOCs respond immediately during an emergency situation with State-of-the-Art communication systems. This helps in providing immediate support during the Golden Hour of the disaster.