Methanol Fuel Processor Casio

For different applications, the power needed from the fuel cells varies from less than 1W for small applications such as sensors and mobile phones to over 100 kW for automobiles and stationary applications. With microreactors, hydrogen flows capable of producing power in the range from 0.01 W to 50 kW have been achieved [3]. Numerous applications of fuel conversion in microstructured devices have dealt with the combination with fuel cells to yield a power supply for microelectric devices and microsensors and as an alternative to a conventional battery. Thus, the resulting power output of the fuel cell has been in the low watts area, from 0.01 Wto a few watts, as in the integrated methanol fuel processors built by companies such as Casio and Motorola [4]. PNNL has developed various low-power portable fuel processor systems, from lower than 1W [5-7] to systems that could provide 15 W, such as a portable and lightweight system for a soldier portable fuel cell [8,9]. In the range of... 

Figure 24.4 2.5 W methanol fuel processor-fuel cell system developed by Casio [53].

Holes for ifHiHiei piissuifC Figure 9.16 Small scale methanol fuel processor developed by CASIO left, cross-sectional view right, photograph of the fuel processor, which shows the gold thin film heater at the top of the fuel processor [589]. 

Figure 9.17 2.5-W methanol fuel processor developed by CASIO [568] right, catalytic afterburner (top), methanol steam reformer (centre) and preferential oxidation reactor (bottom).

Little information is publicly available on the status of fuel processor development in industry. Figure 2.69 shows the fuel cell system developed by Casio [2], It contains a silicon wafer methanol reformer, which was developed by Casio s research division [2], The catalyst was developed under the guidance of the University of Japan. It achieved 98% methanol conversion and allowed the operation of a hand-held computer for 20 h. Commercialization is aimed for in 2004-2005. 

Little information is available on the status of fuel processor development in industry. A silicon wafer methanol reformer was developed by Casio s research division [49]. The catalyst achieved 98% methanol conversion and supplied a... 

Casio Computer has developed a 2.4 We integrated micro fuel processor comprising a methanol steam reformer, a PrOx reactor and a catalytic combustor (Figures 27.10... 

Detailed information about CASIO s reformer development was provided by Terazaki et al. [589]. The fuel processor was produced from 13 glass pieces connected by anodic bonding (see Figure 9.16). The fuel processor was composed of a gold thin film heater, a methanol steam reformer closely attached to a methanol burner, separate layers for the evaporation of the aqueous methanol solution that served as... 

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