Operation of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell in a Centrifugal Field

✍ Scribed by H. Cheng; K. Scott; C. Ramshaw

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 307 KB
• Volume: 3
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1615-6846
• DOI: 10.1002/fuce.200331103

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Direct methanol fuel cells were operated and evaluated in a centrifugal field. It was observed that the methanol oxidation was significantly intensified in a centrifugal field. The application of centrifugal fields greatly enhanced mass transfer and accelerated gas bubble disengagement from the electrode surfaces, the electrolytes and the membrane during the methanol oxidation. The high acceleration field caused a significant reduction in the anode potential up to 500 mV at 300 mA cm^–2^ at a relative acceleration rate of 190 g and 80 °C. Increases in methanol concentration and operating temperature contributed to increase the methanol oxidation rate. These beneficial effects were improved further in a centrifugal field, compared to the gravitational field. A beneficial effect of the centrifugal field on the direct methanol fuel cell performance was observed. More effort is required to guarantee efficient oxygen supply to the cathode under the centrifugal acceleration conditions and thus to increase power output by this particular approach.