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METHACELL TECHNOLOGIES
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What is a fuel cell? How does ours work? What can you do with a ... Gold Plated electrode. Platinum catalyst. Platinum-Ruthenium Catalyst. Methanol Container ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation
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Title: METHACELL TECHNOLOGIES
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METHACELL TECHNOLOGIES
Erica Awai Mark Caskey Charles Erwing Daniel
Stolarski Yonas Tesfaye
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INTRODUCTION
- What is a fuel cell?
- How does ours work?
- What can you do with a fuel cell?
- What have we done?
- How can we improve our cell?
- Conclusion.
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What Is a Fuel Cell
- Harnesses potential difference of electrons in
different molecules - RedOx chemistry electrons doing work
- Theoretical efficiency of 100
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Many Types of Fuel Cells
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Hydrogen Fuel Cell
- Greatest specific energy but...
- BIG PROBLEMS!
- DIFFICULT TO STORE
- DISTRIBUTION PROBLEMS
- EXPENSIVE TO HARNESS
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DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELL
CH4 H2O ? CH3OH H2
- Easy to access
- Liquid at room temperature (bp 65 C)
- CH3OH 3/2 O2 --gt CO2 2H2O E1.119 V
- 3706 J/(molg)
- dH -719 KJ/mol
Click on picture to play or stop animation
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How It Works
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Mechanism of Operation
- Gold Plated electrode
- Platinum catalyst
- Platinum-Ruthenium Catalyst
- Methanol Container
- Graphite conductor
- Plastic spacers
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Critical Component
- Membrane Electrode assembly
- Permeable to protons
- Problematic
- Must be kept hydrated
- Permeable to methanol
- Sensitive to impurities
- Professor Hailes Research
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Experimentation for Optimization
- Methanol Concentration
- Methanol Pump modification
- Air Pump modification
- Load modification
- Temperature
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Effect of Concentration
Concentration has very little effect on Current
and voltage (short-term)
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VARIATION OF AIR PUMP POWER
Cell optimizes at very low pump power
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Variation of Methanol Pump
Increase in pump power has nearly no effect on
cell voltage
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Cell Efficiency
Efficiency drops as you do more work
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Power vs. Current
As you increase the current, power goes up.
Pumps at 6000 mW
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Importance of Efficiency
- Efficiency Theoretical
Voltage/Expermiental Voltage - High Power low efficiency bad
- Consumes excess fuel
- Excessive energy lost to heat
- Factors governing efficiancy
- Amount of surface catalyst
- Methanol leakage
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Dr. Sossina Hailes addition
- Voltage continues linearly
- Power has an optimum point
Graph courtesy of Cal Tech Material Science
Department
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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED FOR FEASABILITY
- Become self-powering unit
- Increase power density
- Reduce size
- Decrease catalyst costs (Platinum)
- Improve Membrane
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Possible business uses
- Robotics
- Military
- Police/fire
- Cellular Phones
- Laptops
- Automotive
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