STTR Phase I: Local Vapor Fuel Cell

这项小型企业技术转移研究（STTR）第一阶段提案将克服与直接甲醇燃料电池（DMFC）建设相关的最关键问题：电池结构复杂，体积庞大，重量大，燃料效率低，成本高。这些问题严重阻碍了为便携式电子设备供电的dmfc的成功商业化。一种商业上可行的局部蒸汽燃料电池（LVFC）将被开发出来，其特点是：(1)集成系统设计（紧凑、轻量和简单的电池结构），(2)高效的燃料转换（高电催化效率和低燃料交叉），以及(3)低成本。高燃油效率是通过使阳极催化剂在较高的局部温度下作用于燃料蒸气来实现的。质子交换膜燃料电池从氧气和氢气中产生电力，并且只释放水和热作为副产品。燃料电池提供了高发电效率和优越的环保性能（无噪音和污染）的伟大组合。燃料电池通常被认为是推动美国和世界未来氢经济的引擎。

This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I proposal will overcome the most critical problems associated with the construction of a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC): complex, bulky and heavy cell structures, low fuel efficiency, and high cost. These issues have severely impeded the successful commercialization of DMFCs for powering portable electronic devices. A commercially viable local vapor fuel cell (LVFC) will be developed which features (1) an integrated system design (with a compact, light-weight, and simple cell structure), (2) a highly efficient fuel conversion (high electro-catalytic efficiency and low fuel crossover), and (3) low cost. The high fuel efficiency is achieved by making the anode catalyst operate on fuel vapors at a higher local temperature. PEM fuel cells generate electricity from oxygen and hydrogen, and emit only water and heat as by-products. Fuel cells offer a great combination of high power generating efficiencies with superior environmental performance (no noise and pollution). The fuel cell is commonly considered to be the engine that will drive the future hydrogen economy of the US and the world.