Home | Fuel Cells
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Debuts at EVS 14
|
ORLANDO, FL (December 13, 1997) — The Methanol Institute (MI) today unveiled a revolutionary direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) at the 14th International Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS 14) in Orlando, Florida.
Unlike typical fuel cells that are powered with hydrogen gas either stored in high-pressure tanks or produced from a hydrogen-rich fuel such as methanol, this fuel cell reacts directly with the liquid methanol releasing hydrogen internally to power the fuel cell.
The DMFC was first conceived in 1991 by researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, and the University of Southern California, who received patents for the technology earlier that year.
At a news conference held today at EVS 14 Conference, MI provided a demonstration of a working DMFC unit. The demonstration unit was built for MI by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Giner, Inc. of Waltham, MA.
"This is the next generation of fuel cell technology that will supply clean and efficient power for the 21st Century," stated MI Senior Consultant Raymond Lewis. "The direct methanol fuel cell converts over one-third of the energy in methanol into an electric current, which is more than twice the efficiency of the internal combustion engines used in today's automobiles. This fuel cell, has no moving parts, requires no maintenance, creates no noise, and the only emissions are potable water and small amounts of carbon dioxide."
The heart of the direct methanol fuel cell is the proton exchange membrane: a thin membrane covered on both sides with a sparse layer of platinum-based catalyst and sandwiched between two electrodes. A methanol/water solution is introduced to a negatively charged electrode that spontaneously reacts by breaking the methanol (CH3OH) molecules apart. Once broken up, the carbon atom combines with the oxygen atoms from the methanol and water at the negative electrode to form carbon dioxide.
The hydrogen atoms are further divided, while the protons pass through the membrane to the positively charged electrode. Meanwhile, the hydrogen electrons are forced to go around the membrane forming an electric current. The two parts of the hydrogen atom are reunited at the positive electrode, and combined with oxygen to produce water. Because it readily frees its hydrogen to react in the fuel cell, methanol is an ideal hydrogen carrier.
"There is more hydrogen in a gallon of liquid methanol at ambient temperature and pressure than there is in a gallon of pure cryogenic hydrogen held at minus 423 degrees," said Mr. Lewis. "With just three teaspoons of methanol, this fuel cell unit will operate continuously for several hours."
Methanol is a clean transportation fuel made from domestic natural gas. One-quarter of the world's supply of methanol is produced at 18 U.S. plants in eight states, including Florida. The industry's total capacity of over 2.5 billion gallons per year.
There are a wide range of potential applications for direct methanol fuel cell technologies, ranging from consumer electronics like laptop computers and cellular phones, lawn mowers and portable generators, to cars and buses. Major automakers have already announced production plans for methanol fuel cell vehicles that include an on-board "chemical plant" to produce hydrogen gas from liquid methanol. Many expect the methanol fuel cell will power the next generation of fuel cell vehicles.
For vehicle applications, DMFCs would provide the same range as today's automobiles, with all the performance. For consumers used to fueling with liquid gasoline, methanol offers a convenient domestically-produced liquid alternative.
The existing gasoline infrastructure can be modified to supply methanol, at a cost of about $30,000 per station to convert underground storage tanks and fuel pumps to methanol operation. The cost to make methanol available conveniently at one-in-ten energy stations nationwide is only about $600 million. It has been estimated that creating a hydrogen infrastructure to serve fuel cell vehicles could cost as much as $1 trillion.
The Methanol Institute (MI) serves as the voice of the methanol industry in Washington and across the country. MI works to support the use of clean reformulated and oxygenated gasolines, promote the use of methanol as an alternative fuel, and encourage the development of emerging methanol-powered fuel cells.
Top | Home | Fuel Cells | Search | E-Mail
Copyright © 1996-2002
Methanol Institute