Counter-flow formic acid microfluidic fuel cell with high fuel utilization exceeding 90%

Hong Xu; Hao Zhang; Huizhi Wang; Dennis Y C Leung; Li Zhang; Jun Cao; Kui Jiao; Jin Xuan

doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.01.101

Counter-flow formic acid microfluidic fuel cell with high fuel utilization exceeding 90%

Hong Xu, Hao Zhang, Huizhi Wang, Dennis Y C Leung, Li Zhang, Jun Cao, Kui Jiao^*, Jin Xuan

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

50 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Microfluidic fuel cell (MFC) is a promising energy source for portable applications, which draws lots of R&D attention. However, MFCs fed with hydrocarbon fuel like formic acid suffers low fuel utilization problem because of sluggish kinetics, complicate reaction condition and dilemma on cell control. In this work, a formic acid MFC based on counter-flow design is proposed. This counter-flow structure is verified a promising design for high Graetz number operation, which is especially beneficial for high fuel utilization manipulation of MFC. A breakthrough in fuel utilization is achieved and the highest fuel utilization of 91.4% is obtained at 1μLmin^-1. It is revealed that counter-flow MFC is capable for low flow rate operation, which is significant for reduce the pump energy consumption and improve the energy efficiency of MFC system. Each potential loss involved in counter-flow MFC is categorized and it is found that potential loss caused by internal resistance hinders performance mostly.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	930–936
Number of pages	7
Journal	Applied Energy
Volume	160
Early online date	27 Feb 2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.01.101
Publication status	Published - 15 Dec 2015

Keywords

Counter-flow
Formic acid
High fuel utilization
Microfluidic fuel cell

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.01.101

Cite this

@article{57bb36cd9bb7424aa0cb1807908a8e52,

title = "Counter-flow formic acid microfluidic fuel cell with high fuel utilization exceeding 90%",

abstract = "Microfluidic fuel cell (MFC) is a promising energy source for portable applications, which draws lots of R&D attention. However, MFCs fed with hydrocarbon fuel like formic acid suffers low fuel utilization problem because of sluggish kinetics, complicate reaction condition and dilemma on cell control. In this work, a formic acid MFC based on counter-flow design is proposed. This counter-flow structure is verified a promising design for high Graetz number operation, which is especially beneficial for high fuel utilization manipulation of MFC. A breakthrough in fuel utilization is achieved and the highest fuel utilization of 91.4% is obtained at 1μLmin-1. It is revealed that counter-flow MFC is capable for low flow rate operation, which is significant for reduce the pump energy consumption and improve the energy efficiency of MFC system. Each potential loss involved in counter-flow MFC is categorized and it is found that potential loss caused by internal resistance hinders performance mostly.",

keywords = "Counter-flow, Formic acid, High fuel utilization, Microfluidic fuel cell",

author = "Hong Xu and Hao Zhang and Huizhi Wang and Leung, {Dennis Y C} and Li Zhang and Jun Cao and Kui Jiao and Jin Xuan",

year = "2015",

month = dec,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.01.101",

language = "English",

volume = "160",

pages = "930–936",

journal = "Applied Energy",

issn = "0306-2619",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Counter-flow formic acid microfluidic fuel cell with high fuel utilization exceeding 90%

AU - Xu, Hong

AU - Zhang, Hao

AU - Wang, Huizhi

AU - Leung, Dennis Y C

AU - Zhang, Li

AU - Cao, Jun

AU - Jiao, Kui

AU - Xuan, Jin

PY - 2015/12/15

Y1 - 2015/12/15

N2 - Microfluidic fuel cell (MFC) is a promising energy source for portable applications, which draws lots of R&D attention. However, MFCs fed with hydrocarbon fuel like formic acid suffers low fuel utilization problem because of sluggish kinetics, complicate reaction condition and dilemma on cell control. In this work, a formic acid MFC based on counter-flow design is proposed. This counter-flow structure is verified a promising design for high Graetz number operation, which is especially beneficial for high fuel utilization manipulation of MFC. A breakthrough in fuel utilization is achieved and the highest fuel utilization of 91.4% is obtained at 1μLmin-1. It is revealed that counter-flow MFC is capable for low flow rate operation, which is significant for reduce the pump energy consumption and improve the energy efficiency of MFC system. Each potential loss involved in counter-flow MFC is categorized and it is found that potential loss caused by internal resistance hinders performance mostly.

AB - Microfluidic fuel cell (MFC) is a promising energy source for portable applications, which draws lots of R&D attention. However, MFCs fed with hydrocarbon fuel like formic acid suffers low fuel utilization problem because of sluggish kinetics, complicate reaction condition and dilemma on cell control. In this work, a formic acid MFC based on counter-flow design is proposed. This counter-flow structure is verified a promising design for high Graetz number operation, which is especially beneficial for high fuel utilization manipulation of MFC. A breakthrough in fuel utilization is achieved and the highest fuel utilization of 91.4% is obtained at 1μLmin-1. It is revealed that counter-flow MFC is capable for low flow rate operation, which is significant for reduce the pump energy consumption and improve the energy efficiency of MFC system. Each potential loss involved in counter-flow MFC is categorized and it is found that potential loss caused by internal resistance hinders performance mostly.

KW - Counter-flow

KW - Formic acid

KW - High fuel utilization

KW - Microfluidic fuel cell

U2 - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.01.101

DO - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.01.101

M3 - Article

SN - 0306-2619

VL - 160

SP - 930

EP - 936

JO - Applied Energy

JF - Applied Energy

ER -

Counter-flow formic acid microfluidic fuel cell with high fuel utilization exceeding 90%

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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