Self-Pumping Micro Fuel-Cell System with Scalable Monolithic Construction

具有可扩展整体结构的自泵微型燃料电池系统

• 批准号: 0824269
• 负责人: Chang-Jin Kim
• 金额: $ 33万
• 依托单位: University of California-Los Angeles
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-10-01 至 2011-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0824269&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Self; Pumping; Micro; Fuel; Cell

AbstractThe objective of this research is to establish a fuel-cell architecture that maintains the energy density even with miniaturization down to millimeters. The approach is to eliminate all the supporting components (pump, gas separator, membrane electrode assembly, and the interconnections) from the fuel-cell construction, leaving only the active fluidic materials and the housing structure in the system. Such a revolutionary system is proposed feasible by integrating two recent technologies: self-circulation of liquid reactants and laminar-flow fuel cells.Intellectual merit: While already commercialized in regular scale, fuel cells have been encountering serious challenges in system miniaturization below a centimeter. Since most of the components essential in the existing fuel cells cannot be miniaturized to microscale, micro fuel cells would require a completely new architecture free of discrete components. Such a system is proposed by circulating the liquid reactants by the self-generated CO2 bubbles in a membrane-free fuel cell based on laminar flows. When developed successfully, the ultra-compact system can be fabricated without assembly.Broader Impact: Due to the high energy density of their fuels, micro fuel cells are promising to extend the operation time of many small devices ?{ from cell phones to remote sensors. Considering the ever-increasing use of portable devices, the environment friendliness of fuel cells should also be noted. The proposed work requires an interdisciplinary and integrated approach in research and education on the issues ranging from microfluidics, fuel cells, microfabrication, and applications, to societal impact. Students will gain first-hand experience for their future career in miniaturized systems and alternative energies.

摘要这项研究的目的是建立一个燃料电池结构，即使微型化至毫米，也可以保持能量密度。该方法是消除从燃料电池结构中消除所有支撑组件（泵，气体分离器，膜电极组件和互连），仅保留系统中的活性流体材料和外壳结构。通过整合两种最新技术：液体反应物和层流燃料电池的自行循环。智能优点：虽然已经定期商业化，但燃料电池已经在系统的微型化中遇到了严重的挑战。由于无法将现有燃料电池中必不可少的大多数组件用于微观尺度上，因此微燃料电池将需要全新的建筑，没有离散组件。通过基于层流的层流在无膜燃料电池中自生的二氧化碳气泡循环液体反应物，提出了这样的系统。成功开发时，可以在没有组装的情况下制造超紧凑的系统。Boader的影响：由于其燃料的高能量密度，微型燃料电池有望扩大许多小型设备的运行时间？{从手机到远程传感器。考虑到不断增加的便携式设备，还应注意燃料电池的环境友好性。拟议的工作需要在研究和教育方面进行跨学科和综合方法，以了解从微流体，燃料电池，微结构和应用到社会影响的问题。学生将在小型化系统和替代能源方面的未来职业中获得第一手经验。