Projects
Projects: Projects for Investigator |
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| Reference Number | 2002-12-34-1-1 | |
| Title | Capillary fuel Cell | |
| Status | Completed | |
| Energy Categories | Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Fuel Cells) 100%; | |
| Research Types | Applied Research and Development 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry) 100% | |
| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Not Cross-cutting 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Professor K Scott No email address given School of Chemical Engineering & Advanced Materials Newcastle University |
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| Award Type | 3 | |
| Funding Source | Carbon Trust | |
| Start Date | 01 April 2004 | |
| End Date | 30 April 2006 | |
| Duration | 24 months | |
| Total Grant Value | £157,880 | |
| Industrial Sectors | ||
| Region | North East | |
| Programme | ||
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Professor K Scott , School of Chemical Engineering & Advanced Materials, Newcastle University (99.999%) |
| Other Investigator | Project Contact , 2S-Sophisticated Systems Limited (0.001%) |
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| Web Site | ||
| Objectives | The technical objective of the project is the development and demonstration of a capillary cell for the conversion of energy from ethanol and air to electricity. | |
| Abstract | The fuel cell concept is over 160 years old but only recently has it evolved as the most promising technology for creating electricity with a minimum of emissions and with high efficiencies. Fuel cells produce electricity through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen (or hydrogen-containing fuels such as ethanol) and oxygen. An important type of fuel cell is the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), which operates typically in the range 30 C-130 C and is suitable for transportand portable applications, and for power co-generation in buildings. Fuel cell systems now available are based on flat Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) stacked together in series, to provide high voltage. A capillary fuel cell (CFC) is based on a bundle of small diameter porous tubular ""fibres"" contained within, typically, a cylindrical vessel. The capillaries are the substrates onto which is deposited electrocatalyst and the polymer electrolyte ""membrane"". A capillary fuel cell offers significant steps beyond the state of the art, ie greater power density and compactness. Based on a typical hydrogen fuel cell performance specification the CFC can provide greater electrode density per area up to a factor of ten, or more. The objectives of the proposed research programme are to: identify and characterise capillary substrate materials prepare electrode materials by deposition onto support capillaries, and incorporation of catalysts on these electrodes investigate suitable high performance electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation prepare and characterise polymer electrolyte membranes and deposit onto capillaries coated with cathode catalyst fabricate capillary electrode assemblies and evaluate their performance o engineer and test a capillary module o develop a technology implementation plan. Challenges for this development are the production of appropriate capillary-based structures, deposition of active electrocatalysts for ethanoloxidation and formation of polymer membranes with suitable characteristics | |
| Publications | (none) |
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| Final Report | (none) |
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| Added to Database | 01/01/07 | |
