IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v107y2016icp716-724.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Durability and efficiency tests for direct methanol fuel cell's long-term performance assessment

Author

Listed:
  • Yeh, Pulin
  • Chang, Chu Hsiang
  • Shih, Naichien
  • Yeh, Naichia

Abstract

This research assessed the long-term performance of direct methanol fuel cells. The experiment was performed at room temperature using 0.51 mol/L ∼0.651 mol/L methanol with a fuel consumption rate of 0.8 ± 0.1 cc/Wh at stack temperature of 60 °C–70 °C. DuPont Nafion115 proton exchange membrane was used as the base material of MEA (membrane electrode assembly), which is then examined via a series of processes that include IV curve test, humidity cycle test, load cycle test, and hydrogen penetration test. The study employs membrane modification and cell structure adjustment approaches to reduce the methanol crossover in the cathode and identify the cell performance effect of the carbon paper gas diffusion layer. The test results indicated an efficiency of 25% can be achieved with a three-piece MEA assembly. According to the durability test, the stack power-generation efficiency has maintained at 15%–25% level. With such efficiency, the stack voltage output has been able to stay above 7.8-V for over 5000 h. This result is in line with industry standard.

Suggested Citation

  • Yeh, Pulin & Chang, Chu Hsiang & Shih, Naichien & Yeh, Naichia, 2016. "Durability and efficiency tests for direct methanol fuel cell's long-term performance assessment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 716-724.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:107:y:2016:i:c:p:716-724
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2016.04.091
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544216305047
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2016.04.091?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. Carton, J.G. & Olabi, A.G., 2010. "Design of experiment study of the parameters that affect performance of three flow plate configurations of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 2796-2806.
    2. Yeh, Naichia & Yeh, Pulin & Shih, Naichien & Byadgi, Omkar & Chih Cheng, Ta, 2014. "Applications of light-emitting diodes in researches conducted in aquatic environment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 611-618.
    3. Roshandel, R. & Arbabi, F. & Moghaddam, G. Karimi, 2012. "Simulation of an innovative flow-field design based on a bio inspired pattern for PEM fuel cells," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 86-95.
    4. Yeh, Naichia & Yeh, Pulin, 2013. "Organic solar cells: Their developments and potentials," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 421-431.
    5. Carton, J.G. & Lawlor, V. & Olabi, A.G. & Hochenauer, C. & Zauner, G., 2012. "Water droplet accumulation and motion in PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) fuel cell mini-channels," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 63-73.
    6. Papurello, Davide & Lanzini, Andrea & Tognana, Lorenzo & Silvestri, Silvia & Santarelli, Massimo, 2015. "Waste to energy: Exploitation of biogas from organic waste in a 500 Wel solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 145-158.
    7. Wang, Junye, 2015. "Theory and practice of flow field designs for fuel cell scaling-up: A critical review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 640-663.
    8. Neef, H.-J., 2009. "International overview of hydrogen and fuel cell research," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 327-333.
    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. Fang, Shuo & Song, Nan & Liu, Yuntao & Zhao, Chunhui & Wang, Ying, 2024. "Comprehensive energy conversion efficiency analysis of micro direct methanol fuel cell stack based on polarization theory," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    2. Fang, Shuo & Zhang, Yufeng & Ma, Zezhong & Zou, Yuezhang & Liu, Xiaowei, 2016. "Development of a micro direct methanol fuel cell with heat control," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(P1), pages 978-985.
    3. Prapainainar, Paweena & Du, Zehui & Theampetch, Apichaya & Prapainainar, Chaiwat & Kongkachuichay, Paisan & Holmes, Stuart M., 2020. "Properties and DMFC performance of nafion/mordenite composite membrane fabricated by solution-casting method with different solvent ratio," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    4. Du, Jiuyu & Ouyang, Danhua, 2017. "Progress of Chinese electric vehicles industrialization in 2015: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 529-546.
    5. Yuan, Zhenyu & Zhang, Manna & Zuo, Kaiyuan & Ren, Yongqiang, 2018. "The effect of gravity on inner transport and cell performance in passive micro direct methanol fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 28-37.
    6. Yang, Qinwen & Gao, Bin & Cheng, Qiang & Xiao, Gang & Meng, Min, 2022. "Adaptive control strategy for power output stability in long-time operation of fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PA).
    7. Fang, Shuo & Song, Nan & Liu, Yuntao & Zhou, Chaoyang & Zhao, Chunhui & Wang, Yun, 2023. "Oscillator design for high efficiency DC-DC of micro direct methanol fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    8. Wang, Junye, 2017. "System integration, durability and reliability of fuel cells: Challenges and solutions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 460-479.
    9. Yu, Bor-Chern & Wang, Yi-Chun & Lu, Hsin-Chun & Lin, Hsiu-Li & Shih, Chao-Ming & Kumar, S. Rajesh & Lue, Shingjiang Jessie, 2017. "Hydroxide-ion selective electrolytes based on a polybenzimidazole/graphene oxide composite membrane," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 802-812.
    10. Kiyani, Roya & Rowshanzamir, Soosan & Parnian, Mohammad Javad, 2016. "Nitrogen doped graphene supported palladium-cobalt as a promising catalyst for methanol oxidation reaction: Synthesis, characterization and electrocatalytic performance," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1162-1173.
    11. Hosseini, Mir Ghasem & Mahmoodi, Raana & Daneshvari-Esfahlan, Vahid, 2018. "Ni@Pd core-shell nanostructure supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes as efficient anode nanocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells with membrane electrode assembly prepared by catalyst coated m," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 1074-1084.
    12. Abdelkareem, Mohammad Ali & Sayed, Enas Taha & Nakagawa, Nobuyoshi, 2020. "Significance of diffusion layers on the performance of liquid and vapor feed passive direct methanol fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    13. Du, Jiuyu & Ouyang, Minggao & Chen, Jingfu, 2017. "Prospects for Chinese electric vehicle technologies in 2016–2020: Ambition and rationality," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 584-596.

    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. Wang, Junye, 2015. "Theory and practice of flow field designs for fuel cell scaling-up: A critical review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 640-663.
    2. Díaz, Manuel Antonio & Iranzo, Alfredo & Rosa, Felipe & Isorna, Fernando & López, Eduardo & Bolivar, Juan Pedro, 2015. "Effect of carbon dioxide on the contamination of low temperature and high temperature PEM (polymer electrolyte membrane) fuel cells. Influence of temperature, relative humidity and analysis of regener," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 90(P1), pages 299-309.
    3. Wang, Junye, 2015. "Barriers of scaling-up fuel cells: Cost, durability and reliability," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 509-521.
    4. Iranzo, Alfredo & Boillat, Pierre & Biesdorf, Johannes & Salva, Antonio, 2015. "Investigation of the liquid water distributions in a 50 cm2 PEM fuel cell: Effects of reactants relative humidity, current density, and cathode stoichiometry," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 914-921.
    5. Parnian, Mohammad Javad & Rowshanzamir, Soosan & Gashoul, Fatemeh, 2017. "Comprehensive investigation of physicochemical and electrochemical properties of sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) membranes with different degrees of sulfonation for proton exchange membrane fuel ," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 614-628.
    6. Okur, Osman & İyigün Karadağ, Çiğdem & Boyacı San, Fatma Gül & Okumuş, Emin & Behmenyar, Gamze, 2013. "Optimization of parameters for hot-pressing manufacture of membrane electrode assembly for PEM (polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells) fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 574-580.
    7. Abdollahzadeh, M. & Ribeirinha, P. & Boaventura, M. & Mendes, A., 2018. "Three-dimensional modeling of PEMFC with contaminated anode fuel," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 939-959.
    8. Yuan, Zhenyu & Yang, Jie & Li, Xiaoyang & Wang, Shikai, 2016. "The micro-scale analysis of the micro direct methanol fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 10-17.
    9. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Wu, Horng-Wen & Shih, Gin-Jang, 2015. "Effect of prominent gas diffusion layer (GDL) on non-isothermal transport characteristics and cell performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 126-138.
    10. Rahnavard, Aylin & Rowshanzamir, Soosan & Parnian, Mohammad Javad & Amirkhanlou, Gholam Reza, 2015. "The effect of sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) as the electrode ionomer for self-humidifying nanocomposite proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 746-757.
    11. Alipour Najmi, Ali & Rowshanzamir, Soosan & Parnian, Mohammad Javad, 2016. "Investigation of NaOH concentration effect in injected fuel on the performance of passive direct methanol alkaline fuel cell with modified cation exchange membrane," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 589-599.
    12. Yuan, Zhenyu & Yang, Jie & Zhang, Yufeng & Wang, Shikai & Xu, Tingnian, 2015. "Mass transport optimization in the anode diffusion layer of a micro direct methanol fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P1), pages 599-605.
    13. An, Myung-Gi & Mehmood, Asad & Hwang, Jinyeon & Ha, Heung Yong, 2016. "A novel method of methanol concentration control through feedback of the amplitudes of output voltage fluctuations for direct methanol fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 217-226.
    14. Chen, Jinxing & Bao, Zhiming & Xu, Yunfei & Fan, Linhao & Du, Qing & Qu, Guanshu & Li, Feiqiang & Jiao, Kui, 2024. "Investigation of liquid retention behavior in the flow field plate of large-size proton exchange membrane fuel cells: Effects of sub-distribution zone," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 358(C).
    15. Alipour Najmi, Ali & Rowshanzamir, Soosan & Parnian, Mohammad Javad, 2016. "Study of physicochemical characterization of potassium-doped Nafion117 membrane and performance evaluation of air-breathing fuel cell in different alkali-methanol solutions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1090-1098.
    16. Wang, Luwen & He, Mingyan & Hu, Yue & Zhang, Yufeng & Liu, Xiaowei & Wang, Gaofeng, 2015. "A “4-cell” modular passive DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell) stack for portable applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 229-235.
    17. Oh, Taek Hyun & Jang, Bosun & Kwon, Sejin, 2015. "Estimating the energy density of direct borohydride–hydrogen peroxide fuel cell systems for air-independent propulsion applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 90(P1), pages 980-986.
    18. Lin, R. & Ren, Y.S. & Lin, X.W. & Jiang, Z.H. & Yang, Z. & Chang, Y.T., 2017. "Investigation of the internal behavior in segmented PEMFCs of different flow fields during cold start process," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 367-377.
    19. Chou, Chang-Chen & Liu, Cheng-Hong & Chen, Bing-Hung, 2014. "Effects of reduction temperature and pH value of polyol process on reduced graphene oxide supported Pt electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 231-238.
    20. Sadiq T. Bunyan & Hayder A. Dhahad & Dhamyaa S. Khudhur & Talal Yusaf, 2023. "The Effect of Flow Field Design Parameters on the Performance of PEMFC: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-62, June.

    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:energy:v:107:y:2016:i:c:p:716-724. 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/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.