TESS - Training and Experimental System for Students

Characteristic curve of a PEM electrolyser

Principle

The PEM electrolyser consists of a thin, proton-conducting, polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM). The two sides of this are each coated with a catalysing material and act as anode and cathode. The theoretical decomposition voltage of water is 1.23 V, bu ...

Faradic efficiency and energetic efficiency of a PEM electrolyser

Principle

The efficiency of an electrolyser is an indicator of the efficiency of energy conversion. A differentiation is made here between energetic and faradic efficiencies.

When a new technology is developed, it is important that it can be economica ...

Current-voltage characteristic of a PEM fuel cell

Principle

The performance curve of a PEM fuel cell is not linear, but reaches a maximum performance at a certain current. When fuel cells are used in practice, it is important that they are operated with the current at which the fuel cell brings the most power. ...

Faradic and energetic efficiencies of a PEM fuel cell

Principle

The efficiency of a fuel cell is an indicator of the efficiency of the energy conversion, whereby a differentiation is made between two efficiency types, the energetic efficiency and the faradic efficiency. 

The recovery of electric ene ...

The efficiency of a electrolyser-fuel cell system

Principle

The use of hydrogen and oxygen for energy storage only makes sense when it functions with the lowest possible losses.

In this experiment, an examination is to be made on the efficiency of an electrolyser - fuel cell system and consequently o ...

current-voltage characteristic of an air breathing fuel cell

Principle

The decisive element for the operation of a fuel cell is hydrogen. High concentrations of this are required for combustion in the fuel cell.

In this experiment, the current-voltage characteristic of an airbreathing fuel cell is examined, whe ...

Generation of electrical energy using a thermogenerator(thermoelectric power)

Principle

The Peltier element (thermal generator) is made of many thermo elements. These are switched on electrically in series and thermally parallel, so that their thermoelectric voltages are added together. This experiment demonstrates that a thermo generato ...

Thermal voltage and temperature

Principle

In this experiment the temperature difference is generated by a metal beaker containing hot water which stands on the upper plate of the thermo element. The temperature difference changes when the hot water is cooled down.

Task

Peltier effect: cooling engine

Principle

In this experiment, the shown effect in experiment 7.1 is inverted. Instead of converting heat into electric energy with the help of the thermo generator, we prove here the Peltier effect. The effect is that the current flowing through the Peltier ele ...

Peltier effect: heat pump

Principle

A heat pump is a device which uses mechanical or electric energy to pump thermal energy from a medium A into a medium B. The heat Q conducted to the medium B is greater than the used mechanical or electric energy E₀. The Q factor (performan ...

Using ambient heat with the aid of a Peltier heat pump

Principle

If an electric current flows through the Peltier element, then one side will heat up, the other will cool down. In the process, the temperature of the warm side has an influence on the temperature of the cold side.
This can be used, e.g., for c ...

Pumping water using solar energy

Principle

So-called hydro-electric power stations have large water reservoirs up high that store water prior to use. The water is pumped up to them from coal-burning power stations or nuclear power stations etc. using electric energy. Waste products such as CO ...

Pumping water using wind energy

Principle

New application areas are being continually looked for to extend the use of renewable energies. Wind, for example, generates energy that is not constant, but the storage of this has been found to be difficult. For this reason, excess wind energy could ...

Efficiency of the pump in the conversion of electric energy to potential energy

Principle

The efficiency attained in this experiment, only 2 % to 3 %, is very low compared to that of pumps used in practice, which can reach 20 % to 90 %. This difference is mainly due to the size of the pump and, in particular and despite the small scale of ...

Running water drives a generator

Principle

The process of pumping water by electric energy is reversed in this experiment, i.e. running water is used to generate a voltage.

Task

Can water drive a motor?