Abstract
Carbon dioxide gas management and bipolar plate/(flow bed) design are important to the development of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) systems. If the gas produced at the anode is not removed rapidly and efficiently a gradual deterioration in electrical performance can occur. This paper examines the feasibility of using stainless steel mesh materials as flow beds for the DMFC. A flow visualization study, using a high-speed video camera and appropriate computer software, of the anode side, carbon dioxide gas evolution and flow behaviour with flow beds based on stainless steel mesh is reported. The electrochemical behaviour of the direct methanol fuel cell with stainless steel flow beds is also reported. A number of the flow bed designs, based on stainless steel mesh, showed promising behaviour in terms of gas removal characteristics and electrical performance.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
X. Ren, S.C. Thomas, P. Zelenay and S. Gottesfeld, 1998 Fuel Cell Seminar, Palm Springs, CA (1998).
X. Ren, M.S. Wilson and S. Gottesfeld, J. Electrochem. Soc. 143 (1996) L12.
T.I. Valdez, S.R. Narayanan, H. Frank and W. Chun, Annual Battery Conference on Applications and Advances, Long Beach, USA (1997).
S.R. Narayanan, T. Valdez, N. Rohatgi, W. Chun and G. Halpert, 1998 Fuel Cell Seminar, Palm Springs, CA (1998).
S.R. Narayanan, G. Halpert, W. Chun, B. Jeffries-Nakamura, T.I. Valdez, H. Frank and S. Surampudi, Electrochemical Society Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA (1996).
S.R. Narayanan, G. Halpert, W. Chun, B. Jeffries-Nakamura, T.I. Valdez, H. Frank and S. Surampudi. 37th Power Sources Conference, Cherry Hill, NJ (1996).
K. Scott, W.M. Taama and P. Argyropoulos, J. Appl. Electrochem. 28 (1999) 1389.
K. Scott, W.M. Taama and P. Argyropoulos, J. Membrane Science 171 (2000) 119.
K. Scott, W.M. Taama and P. Argyropoulos, J. Power Sources 79 (1999) 43.
J. Scholta, B. Rohland, V. Trapp and U. Focken, J. Power Sources 84 (1999) 231.
D.N. Busick and M.S. Wilson, 1998 Fuel Cell Seminar, Palm Springs, CA (1998).
K. Ledjeff-Hey, F. Mahlendorf, O. Niemzig and A. Trautmann, 1998 Fuel Cell Seminar, Palm Springs, CA (1998).
A.S. Arico, P. Creti, V. Baglio, E. Modica and V. Antonucci, Electrochimica Acta 45 (2000) 4319.
G. Xie and H. Okazaki, 3rd International Fuel Cell Conference, Nagoya, Japan (1999).
A.K. Shukla, M.K. Ravikumar, M. Neergat and K.S. Gandhi, J. Appl. Electrochem. 29 (1999) 129.
D.P. Davies, P.L. Adcock, M.T. Turpin and S.J. Rowen, J. Appl. Electrochem. 30 (1999) 101.
R. Hornungand, G. Kappelt, J. Power Sources, 72 (1998) 20.
K.B. Prater. J. Power Sources 61 (1996) 105.
P. Argyropoulos, K. Scott and W.M. Taama, J. Appl. Electrochem. 29 (1999) 661.
P. Argyropoulos, K. Scott and W.M. Taama, Electrochim. Acta. 44 (1999) 3575.
P. Argyropoulos, 'Performance and Modelling of the Direct Methanol Fuel Cell,' PhD thesis, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (1999).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Scott, K., Argyropoulos, P., Yiannopoulos, P. et al. Electrochemical and gas evolution characteristics of direct methanol fuel cells with stainless steel mesh flow beds. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry 31, 823–832 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017559124395
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017559124395