Liquid-fed direct methanol fuel cell

Ge JB, Liu HT. A three-dimensional two-phase flow model for a liquid-fed direct methanol fuel cell. J Power Sources 2007 163 907-15. 

In this book, we discuss low-temperature fuel cells with a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM). Two main representatives of the family of low-T cells are hydrogen-fed polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) and liquid-fed direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Though the major part of this book is devoted to materials and performance modeling of PEFCs, some features of DMFCs will also be discussed due to a great potential of these cells for small-scale mobile applications. 

Direct Methanol Fuel Cell The liquid-fed direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is generally seen as the most viable alternative to lithium ion batteries in portable applications because DMFC systems require less ancillary equipment and can therefore potentially be more simphfied compared to an H2 PEFC. Additionally, the use of a liquid fuel simphfies storage. The DMFCs can potentially compete favorably with advanced Li ion batteries (which currently power many wireless portable apphcations) in terms of gravimetric energy density of 120-160 Wh/kg and volumetric energy density of 230-270 Wh/L. While both H2 PEFCs and DMFCs are strictly PEFCs (both use the same flexible polymer electrolyte), the DMFC feeds a liquid solution of methanol and water to the anode as fuel. The additional complexities of the low-temperature methanol oxidation reaction prevent the DMFC from... 

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