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Experimental Investigation of Performance of a Miniature Direct Methanol Fuel Cell in Short-Term Microgravity

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Abstract

Experimental study of a liquid fed direct methanol fuel cell has been conducted in different gravity environments. A small single cell with 5 cm × 5 cm active area has single serpentine channel on the graphite cathode polar plate and 11 parallel straight channels on the graphite anode flow bed. Cell voltage and current have been measured and two-phase flow in anode channels has been in situ visually observed. The experimental results indicate that the effect of gravity on power performance of the direct methanol fuel cell is large when the concentration polarization governs fuel cells operation. Gravitational effect becomes larger at higher current density. Increasing methanol feeding molarity is conducive to weaken the influence of gravity on performance of liquid fed direct methanol fuel cells. Increasing feeding flow rate of methanol solution from 6 to 15 ml/min could reduce the size of carbon dioxide bubbles, while the influence of gravity still exist. Transport phenomena inside direct methanol fuel cells in microgravity is also analyzed and discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, 100 Ping Le Yuan, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100124, People’s Republic of China

    Fang Ye, Feng Wu, Hang Guo, Cui Ping Lv & Chong Fang Ma

  2. Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, Beijing Municipality, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, People’s Republic of China

    Fang Ye, Feng Wu, Hang Guo, Cui Ping Lv & Chong Fang Ma

  3. Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, People’s Republic of China

    Jian Fu Zhao & Shi Xin Wan

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  1. Fang Ye
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  2. Feng Wu
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  3. Jian Fu Zhao
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  7. Chong Fang Ma
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Correspondence to Fang Ye.

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Ye, F., Wu, F., Zhao, J.F. et al. Experimental Investigation of Performance of a Miniature Direct Methanol Fuel Cell in Short-Term Microgravity. Microgravity Sci. Technol. 22, 347–352 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-010-9228-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-010-9228-3

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