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Reference Number 2002-12-17-1-6
Title Performance validation of a CMR fuel cell
Status Completed
Energy Categories Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Fuel Cells) 100%;
Research Types Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Mr MA Priestnall
No email address given
CMR Fuel Cells Ltd
Award Type 3
Funding Source Carbon Trust
Start Date 01 January 2004
End Date 31 July 2005
Duration 19 months
Total Grant Value £300,000
Industrial Sectors
Region East of England
Programme
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Mr MA Priestnall , CMR Fuel Cells Ltd (100.000%)
Web Site
Objectives To validate quantitatively the concept and performance of a novel flow-through polymer membrane fuel cell stack operating on a mixed feed of methanol and air.
Abstract CMR Fuel Cells is a new start-up whose initial commercial objective is to develop its Patented fuel cell technology for portable direct methanol (DMFC) products. CMR stack technology promises a tenfold increase in power density for a cost ~20% that of existing fuel cell technologies. Together with a much improved stack durability, it is anticipated that CMR technology will assist a more rapid and significant market entry for fuel cells. In a Compact Mixed Reactant (CMR) fuel cell, selective electrocatalysts eliminate the need for the physical separation of the fuel and oxidant within the stack. This allows the mixed-reactants to be fed through a stack of fully porous membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). As well as allowing much thinner electrolyte membranes to be used, this makes the bipolar flow-field plates redundant and thereby reduces the volume and weight of the stack by ~90%. This research programme aims to verify that the technology will work at stack level and that it will deliver the promised cost and performance benefits. It is a key milestone on the path to broader commercial application of CMR technology in DMFC, SOFC and H2/PEM. The initial milestones of this programme are to establish reproducible single-cell level performance of a selective electrode DMFC system and to compare that with a conventional DMFC. Quantitative mass balance of reaction products will be carried out to fully characterise CMR performance over a range of operatingconditions. Following this, a seriesconnected stack of flow-through MEAs will be developed showing that it is possible to eliminate bipolar flow-field plates without loss of efficiency. Various performance characteristics of this CMR stack will be measured, with mixed-reactants in liquid and vapour phase passing axially through the stack. Key determinants of the success of this approach will be stack power density and fuel efficiency. The programme of work will be carried out by CMR Fuel CellsLtd using a purposedesigned test and analysis system and selective catalysts and MEAs from commercial suppliers
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Added to Database 01/01/07