Design and Utilization of a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

Abstract

This study introduces a step-by-step, summarized overview of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) fundamentals, thermodynamic–electrochemical principles, and system evaluation factors. In addition, a parametric investigation of a JENNY 600S DMFC is conducted to simulate cell performance behavior under varying operating conditions. The system is mathematically modeled and solved in MATLAB and accounts for multi-irreversibilities such as the activation and ohmic and concentration overpotentials. The performance of the modeled system was validated against theoretical and experimental results from the literature. The results indicated that increasing the fuel cell’s operating temperature yields enhanced output cell voltages due to enhanced methanol oxidation reactions. Nevertheless, the maximum efficiency limits of the fuel cell tend to decrease with an increase in temperature. In addition, the model has also depicted that enhanced output cell voltages are associated with increased oxygen consumption, resulting in the lower exit flowrates of the reactants.

Advances and Perspective of Noble-Metal-Free Nitrogen-Doped Carbon for pH-Universal Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalysts

“…Meanwhile, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is produced (eq 5) in a two-electron pathway and may be further reduced to yield H 2 O (eq 6). The twoelectron pathway is unfavorable in both alkaline and acidic media because intermediate (HO 2 − or H 2 O 2 ) production increases the overpotential, resulting in a lower onset potential. 49 It has been reported that the presence of intermediates affected the overpotential values.…”

“…As shown in Figure , ORR in electrochemical devices may require diverse pH conditions. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) are operated in acidic media (pH ∼ 1). , Microbial fuel cells (MFC), producing electricity through an enzymatic process of bacteria, work in a neutral pH environment (pH ∼ 7) . Meanwhile, zinc–air batteries (ZAB) and alkaline membrane fuel cells (AMFC) are suitable to work in alkaline media (pH ∼ 13). , However, the high cost and limited abundancy of Pt have hindered their commercialization. − Hence, it is crucial to find alternatives for pH-universal Pt-based catalysts to promote cheap and large-scale production of ORR catalysts that can function in PEMFC, MFC, AMFC, ZAB, and other electrochemical devices, simultaneously.…”

“…Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) are operated in acidic media (pH ∼ 1). 1,2 Microbial fuel cells (MFC), producing electricity through an enzymatic process of bacteria, work in a neutral pH environment (pH ∼ 7). 3 Meanwhile, zinc−air batteries (ZAB) and alkaline membrane fuel cells (AMFC) are suitable to work in alkaline media (pH ∼ 13).…”

Chemical material as a hydrogen energy carrier: A review

“…The dehydrogenation reactions required to get hydrogen from chemical hydrogen carriers commonly employ catalysts such as Fe, Ni, Pt, and Ru to promote exothermic reactions. Therefore, the development of catalysts enabling higher hydrogen production rates and efficiency at lower temperatures, along with high-purity hydrogen extraction, is imperative [82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92][93][94][95][96]. The hydrogen produced requires refinement, with coupling to existing commercial hydrogen production methods such as Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) with separation and purification facilities allowing for cost savings in hydrogen production by separating carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide [97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110][111].…”

Nickel complexes containing N4 schiff-base macrocycles dereived from diphenylamine-2,2'-dicarboxaldehyde for catalytic CO2 reduction

“…Common RWGS catalysts can be Cu-based and noble metals supported on metal oxides, 9,10 Methanol is one of ubiquitous chemicals that is widely used for chemical productions and fuels. 12,13 One of possible routes to produce CH 3 OH from CO 2 is the hydrogenation of CO 2 (eq. 2).…”