IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v81y2015icp664-670.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Lightweight current collector based on printed-circuit-board technology and its structural effects on the passive air-breathing direct methanol fuel cell

Author

Listed:
  • Yuan, Wei
  • Zhang, Xiaoqing
  • Zhang, Shiwei
  • Hu, Jinyi
  • Li, Zongtao
  • Tang, Yong

Abstract

To realize lightweight design of the fuel cell system is a critical issue before it is put into practical use. The printed-circuit-board (PCB) technology can be potentially used for production of current collectors or flow distributors. This study develops prototypes of a single passive air-breathing direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) and also an 8-cell mono-polar DMFC stack based on PCB current collectors. The effects of diverse structural and operational factors on the cell performance are explored. Results show that the methanol concentration of 6 M promotes a higher cell performance with a peak power density of 18.3 mW cm−2. The combination of current collectors using a relatively higher anode open ratio and inversely a lower cathode open ratio helps enhance the cell performance. Dynamic tests are also conducted to reveal transient behaviors and its dependence on the operating conditions. To validate the real working status of the DMFC stack, it is coupled with an LED lightening system. The performance of this hybrid system is also reported in this study.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuan, Wei & Zhang, Xiaoqing & Zhang, Shiwei & Hu, Jinyi & Li, Zongtao & Tang, Yong, 2015. "Lightweight current collector based on printed-circuit-board technology and its structural effects on the passive air-breathing direct methanol fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 664-670.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:81:y:2015:i:c:p:664-670
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2015.03.082
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148115002736
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2015.03.082?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yuan, Wei & Tang, Yong & Yang, Xiaojun & Wan, Zhenping, 2012. "Porous metal materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells – A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 309-329.
    2. Kuan, Yean-Der & Lee, Shi-Min & Sung, Min-Feng, 2009. "Experimental study on the characterization of airflow effect on the direct methanol fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1962-1968.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Min, Xiaoteng & Xia, Junjie & Zhang, Xiongwen & Ding, Kunpeng, 2022. "Study on the output performance of the proton exchange membrane fuel cells using print circuit board," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 359-370.
    2. Chen, Xueye & Li, Tiechuan & Shen, Jienan & Hu, Zengliang, 2017. "From structures, packaging to application: A system-level review for micro direct methanol fuel cell," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 669-678.
    3. Zhang, Yufeng & Xue, Rui & Zhang, Xuelin & Song, Jiaying & Liu, Xiaowei, 2015. "rGO deposited in stainless steel fiber felt as mass transfer barrier layer for μ-DMFC," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 1081-1086.
    4. Abdelkareem, Mohammad Ali & Allagui, Anis & Sayed, Enas Taha & El Haj Assad, M. & Said, Zafar & Elsaid, Khaled, 2019. "Comparative analysis of liquid versus vapor-feed passive direct methanol fuel cells," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 563-584.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bao, Zhiming & Niu, Zhiqiang & Jiao, Kui, 2020. "Gas distribution and droplet removal of metal foam flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    2. Jiao, Kui & Bachman, John & Zhou, Yibo & Park, Jae Wan, 2014. "Effect of induced cross flow on flow pattern and performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 75-82.
    3. Jung, Guo-Bin & Tzeng, Wei-Jen & Jao, Ting-Chu & Liu, Yu-Hsu & Yeh, Chia-Chen, 2013. "Investigation of porous carbon and carbon nanotube layer for proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 457-464.
    4. Awin, Yussef & Dukhan, Nihad, 2019. "Experimental performance assessment of metal-foam flow fields for proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 1-1.
    5. Huo, Sen & Cooper, Nathanial James & Smith, Travis Lee & Park, Jae Wan & Jiao, Kui, 2017. "Experimental investigation on PEM fuel cell cold start behavior containing porous metal foam as cathode flow distributor," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 101-114.
    6. Wu, Horng-Wen, 2016. "A review of recent development: Transport and performance modeling of PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 81-106.
    7. Yu, Zhi-Qiang & Feng, Yong-Liang & Zhou, Wen-Jing & Jin, Yu & Li, Ming-Jie & Li, Zeng-Yao & Tao, Wen-Quan, 2013. "Study on flow and heat transfer characteristics of composite porous material and its performance analysis by FSP and EDEP," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1367-1375.
    8. Wang, Zhigang & Zhang, Xuelin & Nie, Li & Zhang, Yufeng & Liu, Xiaowei, 2014. "Elimination of water flooding of cathode current collector of micro passive direct methanol fuel cell by superhydrophilic surface treatment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 107-112.
    9. Vasile, Nicolò S. & Doherty, Ronan & Monteverde Videla, Alessandro H.A. & Specchia, Stefania, 2016. "3D multi-physics modeling of a gas diffusion electrode for oxygen reduction reaction for electrochemical energy conversion in PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 435-450.
    10. Calabriso, Andrea & Borello, Domenico & Romano, Giovanni Paolo & Cedola, Luca & Del Zotto, Luca & Santori, Simone Giovanni, 2017. "Bubbly flow mapping in the anode channel of a direct methanol fuel cell via PIV investigation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1245-1255.
    11. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Horng, Rong-Fang & Ku, Hui-Wen, 2013. "Effects of reaction chamber geometry on the performance and heat/mass transport phenomenon for a cylindrical methanol steam reformer," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 317-327.
    12. Kang, Dong Gyun & Lee, Dong Keun & Choi, Jong Min & Shin, Dong Kyu & Kim, Min Soo, 2020. "Study on the metal foam flow field with porosity gradient in the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 931-941.
    13. Ikechukwu S. Anyanwu & Yuze Hou & Wenmiao Chen & Fengwen Pan & Qing Du & Jin Xuan & Kui Jiao, 2019. "Numerical Investigation of Liquid Water Transport Dynamics in Novel Hybrid Sinusoidal Flow Channel Designs for PEMFC," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-20, October.
    14. Afshari, E. & Mosharaf-Dehkordi, M. & Rajabian, H., 2017. "An investigation of the PEM fuel cells performance with partially restricted cathode flow channels and metal foam as a flow distributor," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 705-715.
    15. Yuan, Wei & Yan, Zhiguo & Tan, Zhenhao & Wang, Aoyu & Li, Zongtao & Tang, Yong, 2016. "Anode optimization based on gradient porous control medium for passive liquid-feed direct methanol fuel cells," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 71-79.
    16. Yang, Yang & Yuan, Wei & Zhang, Xiaoqing & Ke, Yuzhi & Qiu, Zhiqiang & Luo, Jian & Tang, Yong & Wang, Chun & Yuan, Yuhang & Huang, Yao, 2020. "A review on structuralized current collectors for high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    17. Yuan, Wei & Wang, Aoyu & Yan, Zhiguo & Tan, Zhenhao & Tang, Yong & Xia, Hongrong, 2016. "Visualization of two-phase flow and temperature characteristics of an active liquid-feed direct methanol fuel cell with diverse flow fields," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 85-98.
    18. Cheng Wang & Shubo Wang & Linfa Peng & Junliang Zhang & Zhigang Shao & Jun Huang & Chunwen Sun & Minggao Ouyang & Xiangming He, 2016. "Recent Progress on the Key Materials and Components for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells in Vehicle Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-39, July.
    19. Deng, Huichao & Zhang, Xuelin & Ma, Zezhong & Chen, Hailong & Sun, Qiu & Zhang, Yufeng & Liu, Xiaowei, 2014. "A micro passive direct methanol fuel cell with high performance via plasma electrolytic oxidation on aluminum-based substrate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 149-153.
    20. Reza Omrani & Bahman Shabani, 2019. "Gas Diffusion Layers in Fuel Cells and Electrolysers: A Novel Semi-Empirical Model to Predict Electrical Conductivity of Sintered Metal Fibres," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-17, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:81:y:2015:i:c:p:664-670. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.