Heat and mass balanced direct methanol fuel cell and working method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a heat and mass balanced direct methanol fuel cell and a working method thereof. According to the heat and mass balanced direct methanol fuel cell, methanol and a product are conveyed separately, the fuel cell forms a stable forward transmission flow path in the whole process from flow-in of liquid phase methanol to discharge of carbon dioxide, therefore, fuel can directlyand uniformly enter an anode, the problems that a methanol reaction is insufficient, and methanol steam concentrations are not uniform due to mixing of methanol and carbon dioxide are solved, stable and efficient running of an anode-side reaction is further benefited, and cell efficiency is improved; pressure intensity generated in the generation process of the product carbon dioxide is utilized to push the liquid state methanol to enter the fuel cell, so that additional pump work is lowered; waste heat generated in a reaction region in the cell running process is transmitted to a methanol evaporation region and used for assisting methanol evaporation; and the methanol evaporating and utilizing process is more efficient and saves more energy.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the technical field of fuel cells, in particular to a thermal mass balance direct methanol fuel cell and a working method thereof. Background technique [0002] Direct methanol fuel cells have the advantages of simple structure, normal temperature operation, high system volume specific energy, and convenient fuel storage and transportation. They have broad application prospects in the fields of communication, transportation, and national defense. The battery reaction is as follows: [0003] The anode reaction is CH 3 OH+H 2 0→6H + +6e - +CO 2 [0004] The cathode reaction is 3 / 2O 2 +6H + +6e - →3H 2 o [0005] The total reaction of the battery is CH 3 OH+3 / 2O 2 →2H 2 O+CO 2 [0006] At present, most of the research on direct methanol fuel cells is concentrated in the field of using liquid methanol as fuel, but because most of the fuel supply of methanol fuel cells needs to be mixed with water, this reduces the en...

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Problems solved by technology

[0006] At present, most of the research on direct methanol fuel cells is concentrated in the field of using liquid methanol as fuel, but because most of the fuel supply of methanol fuel cells needs to be mixed with water, this reduces the energy density of the fuel, and at the same time there is serious methanol in the process of operation. Penetration problem, while causing a lot of waste of raw materials, reduces the energy utilization rate and seriously weakens the performance of the battery, which brings great difficulties to the improvement of the performance of methanol fuel cells

[0007] Studies have shown that methanol participating in the fuel cell reaction in the form of vapor can reduce methanol breakthrough and further improve the utilization efficiency of methanol. However, the fuel supply method of the battery using methanol vapor as fuel is mostly in the form of evaporation film evaporation and heating by external heating equipment. Evaporation mode, in which the evaporation mode of the evaporation film makes the flow of methanol cannot be accurately controlled during use, which further affects the stable operation of the fuel cell, and the external heating device heating evaporation mode increases the extra power consumption of the battery operation, further reducing the battery life. Efficiency; the use of a fuel supply pump for liquid-phase methanol supply will also bring additional power consumption and further reduce battery efficiency

At the same time, during the working process of the battery using methanol vapor as fuel, there are often problems such as uneven distribution of methanol concentration on the anode side, insufficient methanol reaction, and difficulty in discharging carbon dioxide, which greatly affects the working efficiency of the fuel cell.

[0008] Therefore, in view of the aforementioned low efficiency, difficult distribution, and easy leakage of methanol fuel cells, a methanol fuel cell with high working efficiency, strong control precision, and no need for additional power consumption is urgently needed.

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