The Effect of Cell Temperature and Channel Geometry on the Performance of a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mojtaba Parvizi Omran ◽  
Mousa Farhadi ◽  
Kurosh Sedighi
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Density ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Channel Width ◽  
Limiting Current ◽  
Electrochemical Kinetics ◽  
Cell Temperature ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cell

A 3D, single phase steady-state model has been developed for liquid feed direct methanol fuel cell. The model is implemented into the commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software package FLUENT® v6.2, with its user-defined functions (UDFs). The continuity, momentum, and species conservation equations are coupled with electrochemical kinetics in the anode and cathode channel and MEA. For electro chemical kinetics, the Tafel equation is used at both the anode and cathode sides. Results are validated against DMFC experimental data with reasonable agreement and used to study the effects of cell temperature, channel depth, and channel width on polarization curve, power density and crossover rate. The results show that the increasing operational temperature, the limiting current density and peak of power density increase and subsequently crossover increases too. It is also shown that the increasing of channel width is a beneficial way for improving cell performance at a methanol concentration below 1 M.

Performance and Modeling of a Liquid-Fed Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiabin Ge ◽  
Hongtan Liu
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Electrochemical Kinetics ◽  
Operating Parameters ◽  
Liquid Feed ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cell

Systematic experiments have been conducted to study the effects of various operating parameters on the performance of a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The effects of cell operating temperature, anode flow rate, air flow rate, and methanol concentration have been studied. The experimental results showed that the operating parameters have significant effects on the DMFC performances, and some of the effects are complicated and deserve further detailed studies. Selected results are presented in this paper. A three dimensional, single-phase, multi-component model has been developed for liquid-feed DMFC. The traditional continuity, momentum, and species conservation equations are used. At the anode, liquid phase is considered, and at the cathode, only gas phase is considered. In addition to the regular electrochemical kinetics at the anode and cathode, the mixed potential effects due to methanol crossover are also included in the model. The modeling results compared well with our experimental data.

scholarly journals A Novel Button-Type Micro Direct Methanol Fuel Cell with Graphene Diffusion Layer

Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 658
Author(s):  
Zhu ◽  
Gao ◽  
Li
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Density ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cells ◽  
Effective Area ◽  
Unit Weight ◽  
Specific Power ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cell

In order to solve the problem that bolts in traditional packaged direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) take up a large area and reduce the specific energy (energy per unit weight) and power density (power per unit area), a new button-type micro direct methanol fuel cell (B-μDMFC) is designed, assembled, and packaged. The cell with four different structures was tested before and after packaging. The results indicate that the button cell with three-dimensional graphene and springs has the best performance. The equivalent circuit and methanol diffusion model was applied to explain the experimental results. The peak volumetric specific power density of the cell is 11.85 mW cm−3. This is much higher than traditional packaged DMFC, because the novel B-μDMFC eliminates bolts in the structure and improves the effective area ratio of the cell.

Enhanced Water Management and Fuel Efficiency of a Fully Passive Direct Methanol Fuel Cell With Super-Hydrophilic/ -Hydrophobic Cathode Porous Flow-Field

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Yuan ◽  
Fuchang Han ◽  
Yu Chen ◽  
Wenjun Chen ◽  
Jinyi Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Methanol Concentration ◽  
Limiting Current ◽  
Porous Flow ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cell

Water management is a critical issue for a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). This study focuses primarily on the use of a super-hydrophilic or super-hydrophobic cathode porous flow field to improve the water management of a passive air-breathing DMFC. The flow field layer was made of an in-house copper-fiber sintered felt (CFSF) which owns good stability and conductivity. Results indicate that the super-hydrophilic flow field performs better at a lower methanol concentration since it facilitates water removal when the water balance coefficient (WBC) is high. In the case of high-concentration operation, the use of a super-hydrophobic pattern is more able to reduce methanol crossover (MCO) and increase fuel efficiency since it helps maintain a lower WBC due to its ability in enhancing water back flow from the cathode to the anode. The effects of methanol concentration and the porosity of the CFSF are also discussed in this work. The cell based on the super-hydrophobic pattern with a porosity of 60% attains the best performance with a maximum power density of 18.4 mW cm−2 and a maximum limiting current density of 140 mA cm−2 at 4 M.

scholarly journals Optimum Conditions for Maximum Power of a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mojtaba Tafaoli-Masoule ◽  
Arian Bahrami ◽  
Danial Mohammadrezaei
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Maximum Power ◽  
Effective Parameters ◽  
Cell Temperature ◽  
Isothermal Model ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
Good Agreement

It is well known that anode and cathode pressures and cell temperature are the effective parameters in performance of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC). In the present study, the genetic algorithm as one of the most powerful optimization tools is applied to determine operating conditions which result in the maximum power density of a DMFC. A quasi-two-dimensional, isothermal model is presented to determine maximum power of a DMFC. For validation of this model, the results of the model are compared to experimental results and shown to be in good agreement with them.

Development of MEMS-based direct methanol fuel cell with high power density using nanoimprint technology

2007 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1365-1368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Zhang ◽  
Jian Lu ◽  
Satoshi Shimano ◽  
Haoshen Zhou ◽  
Ryutaro Maeda
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Density ◽  
High Power ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
High Power Density ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cell

Systematic Experimental Analysis of a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 418-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Casalegno ◽  
R. Marchesi ◽  
F. Rinaldi
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Cell Temperature ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Operating Condition ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cell

Different studies are carried out to compare the performances of different fuel cell constructive materials and operating conditions. In this work, a methodology for the characterization of DMFC experimental results in term of uncertainty and repeatability and for a systematic analysis of operating condition influence on performance is presented. The measurement system (composed of calibrated instruments) and experimental and data elaboration procedures are described. Experimental results, characterized by uncertainty and repeatability, are discussed for different operating conditions: fuel cell temperature, anode flow rate, and methanol concentration. The influence of operating condition history on performance is observed. It arises also from accumulation, both of methanol and carbon dioxide at the anode side; consequently, the operating condition history has to be considered in evaluating direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) performances and repeatability of measurements. This work confirms that to compare experimental performances of fuel cells, the measurements shall be characterized by traceability, repeatability, reproducibility, and uncertainty.

Nanosized Mo-doped CeO2 enhances the electrocatalytic properties of the Pt anode catalyst in direct methanol fuel cells

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 1481-1487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genlei Zhang ◽  
Zhenzhen Yang ◽  
Wen Zhang ◽  
Yuxin Wang
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Density ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cells ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Anode Catalyst ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cells ◽  
Doped Ceo2 ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cell

A novel Pt/Ce0.7Mo0.3O2−δ–C electrocatalyst has been developed for methanol oxidation. A direct methanol fuel cell integrating this catalyst as the anode catalyst showed superior power density compared to that with a state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C-JM catalyst.

scholarly journals Improvement of direct methanol fuel cell performance using a novel mordenite barrier layer

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (28) ◽  
pp. 10850-10857 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Al-Batty ◽  
C. Dawson ◽  
S. P. Shanmukham ◽  
E. P. L. Roberts ◽  
S. M. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Density ◽  
Barrier Layer ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
Cell Performance ◽  
Fuel Cell Performance ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cell

The targeted addition of an ‘organophobe’ increases the power density of a direct methanol fuel cell by up to 50%.

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