Increasing Fuel Efficiency of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Systems with Feedforward Control of the Operating Concentration
Most of the R&D on fuel cells for portable applications concentrates on increasing efficiencies and energy densities to compete with other energy storage devices, especially batteries. To improve the efficiency of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) systems, several modifications to system layo...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2015-09-01
|
| Series: | Energies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/9/10409 |
| _version_ | 1811302191995027456 |
|---|---|
| author | Youngseung Na Federico Zenith Ulrike Krewer |
| author_facet | Youngseung Na Federico Zenith Ulrike Krewer |
| author_sort | Youngseung Na |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Most of the R&D on fuel cells for portable applications concentrates on increasing efficiencies and energy densities to compete with other energy storage devices, especially batteries. To improve the efficiency of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) systems, several modifications to system layouts and operating strategies are considered in this paper, rather than modifications to the fuel cell itself. Two modified DMFC systems are presented, one with an additional inline mixer and a further modification of it with a separate tank to recover condensed water. The set point for methanol concentration control in the solution is determined by fuel efficiency and varies with the current and other process variables. Feedforward concentration control enables variable concentration for dynamic loads. Simulation results were validated experimentally with fuel cell systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:23:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ea2b09b0c964857bba087f7ae8bdabb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:23:37Z |
| publishDate | 2015-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ea2b09b0c964857bba087f7ae8bdabb2022-12-22T02:56:33ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732015-09-0189104091042910.3390/en80910409en80910409Increasing Fuel Efficiency of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Systems with Feedforward Control of the Operating ConcentrationYoungseung Na0Federico Zenith1Ulrike Krewer2Institute of Energy and Process Systems Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Franz-Liszt-Str. 35, Braunschweig 38106, GermanySINTEF Applied Cybernetics, PO Box 4760 Sluppen, Trondheim NO-7465, NorwayInstitute of Energy and Process Systems Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Franz-Liszt-Str. 35, Braunschweig 38106, GermanyMost of the R&D on fuel cells for portable applications concentrates on increasing efficiencies and energy densities to compete with other energy storage devices, especially batteries. To improve the efficiency of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) systems, several modifications to system layouts and operating strategies are considered in this paper, rather than modifications to the fuel cell itself. Two modified DMFC systems are presented, one with an additional inline mixer and a further modification of it with a separate tank to recover condensed water. The set point for methanol concentration control in the solution is determined by fuel efficiency and varies with the current and other process variables. Feedforward concentration control enables variable concentration for dynamic loads. Simulation results were validated experimentally with fuel cell systems.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/9/10409fuel cell systemconcentrationcontrol |
| spellingShingle | Youngseung Na Federico Zenith Ulrike Krewer Increasing Fuel Efficiency of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Systems with Feedforward Control of the Operating Concentration Energies fuel cell system concentration control |
| title | Increasing Fuel Efficiency of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Systems with Feedforward Control of the Operating Concentration |
| title_full | Increasing Fuel Efficiency of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Systems with Feedforward Control of the Operating Concentration |
| title_fullStr | Increasing Fuel Efficiency of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Systems with Feedforward Control of the Operating Concentration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Increasing Fuel Efficiency of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Systems with Feedforward Control of the Operating Concentration |
| title_short | Increasing Fuel Efficiency of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Systems with Feedforward Control of the Operating Concentration |
| title_sort | increasing fuel efficiency of direct methanol fuel cell systems with feedforward control of the operating concentration |
| topic | fuel cell system concentration control |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/9/10409 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT youngseungna increasingfuelefficiencyofdirectmethanolfuelcellsystemswithfeedforwardcontroloftheoperatingconcentration AT federicozenith increasingfuelefficiencyofdirectmethanolfuelcellsystemswithfeedforwardcontroloftheoperatingconcentration AT ulrikekrewer increasingfuelefficiencyofdirectmethanolfuelcellsystemswithfeedforwardcontroloftheoperatingconcentration |