Management and Control of Water Flooding in Cathode of Liquid-Feed Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

Abstract

One of the major issues in the direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) is water management in the cathode. Then, we evaluated the effluent water amount of the cathode by changing the air flow velocity and the influence of water flooding on the cell performance. From characterization of cathode flooding by I-V measurement, AC impedance measurement and effluent water amount measurement, it was confirmed that the amount of effluent water was dependent on air flow velocity, and even low flow rate could control the flooding by a suitable design of the flow channel.