Feeding vaporized methanol to the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) helps reduce the effects of methanol crossover (MCO) and facilitates the use of high-concentration or neat methanol so as to enhance the energy density of the fuel cell system. This paper reports a novel system design coupling a catalytic combustor with a vapor-feed air-breathing DMFC. The combustor functions as an assistant heat provider to help transform the liquid methanol into vapor phase. The feasibility of this method is experimentally validated. Compared with the traditional electric heating mode, the operation based on this catalytic combustor results in a higher cell performance. Results indicate that the values of methanol concentration and methanol vapor chamber (MVC) temperature both have direct effects on the cell performance, which should be well optimized. As for the operation of the catalytic combustor, it is necessary to optimize the number of capillary wicks and also catalyst loading. In order to fast trigger the combustion reaction, an optimal oxygen feed rate (OFR) must be used. The required amount of oxygen to sustain the reaction can be far lower than that for methanol ignition in the starting stage.
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February 2015
This article was originally published in
Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology
Research-Article
Study on a Vapor-Feed Air-Breathing Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Assisted by a Catalytic Combustor
Wei Yuan,
Wei Yuan
1
Key Laboratory of Surface Functional
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
e-mail: mewyuan@scut.edu.cn
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Building 19, Wushan Road 381
,Guangzhou 510640
, China
e-mail: mewyuan@scut.edu.cn
1Corresponding author.
Search for other works by this author on:
Hong-Rong Xia,
Hong-Rong Xia
Key Laboratory of Surface Functional
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
e-mail: 1066953488@qq.com
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Building 19, Wushan Road 381
,Guangzhou 510640
, China
e-mail: 1066953488@qq.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Jin-Yi Hu,
Jin-Yi Hu
Key Laboratory of Surface Functional
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
e-mail: 1058551620@qq.com
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Building 19, Wushan Road 381
,Guangzhou 510640
, China
e-mail: 1058551620@qq.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Zhao-Chun Zhang,
Zhao-Chun Zhang
Key Laboratory of Surface Functional
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
e-mail: 985467137@qq.com
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Building 19, Wushan Road 381
,Guangzhou 510640
, China
e-mail: 985467137@qq.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Yong Tang
Yong Tang
Key Laboratory of Surface Functional
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
e-mail: ytang@scut.edu.cn
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Building 19, Wushan Road 381
,Guangzhou 510640
, China
e-mail: ytang@scut.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Wei Yuan
Key Laboratory of Surface Functional
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
e-mail: mewyuan@scut.edu.cn
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Building 19, Wushan Road 381
,Guangzhou 510640
, China
e-mail: mewyuan@scut.edu.cn
Hong-Rong Xia
Key Laboratory of Surface Functional
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
e-mail: 1066953488@qq.com
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Building 19, Wushan Road 381
,Guangzhou 510640
, China
e-mail: 1066953488@qq.com
Jin-Yi Hu
Key Laboratory of Surface Functional
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
e-mail: 1058551620@qq.com
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Building 19, Wushan Road 381
,Guangzhou 510640
, China
e-mail: 1058551620@qq.com
Zhao-Chun Zhang
Key Laboratory of Surface Functional
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
e-mail: 985467137@qq.com
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Building 19, Wushan Road 381
,Guangzhou 510640
, China
e-mail: 985467137@qq.com
Yong Tang
Key Laboratory of Surface Functional
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
e-mail: ytang@scut.edu.cn
Structure Manufacturing of Guangdong
Higher Education Institutes,
School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering,
South China University of Technology
,Building 19, Wushan Road 381
,Guangzhou 510640
, China
e-mail: ytang@scut.edu.cn
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Advanced Energy Systems Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF FUEL CELL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received March 23, 2014; final manuscript received October 27, 2014; published online November 25, 2014. Assoc. Editor: Jacob Brouwer.
J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. Feb 2015, 12(1): 011002 (7 pages)
Published Online: February 1, 2015
Article history
Received:
March 23, 2014
Revision Received:
October 27, 2014
Online:
November 25, 2014
Citation
Yuan, W., Xia, H., Hu, J., Zhang, Z., and Tang, Y. (February 1, 2015). "Study on a Vapor-Feed Air-Breathing Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Assisted by a Catalytic Combustor." ASME. J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. February 2015; 12(1): 011002. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4029071
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