Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Artificial Heart Power Supply

描述（由申请人提供）：心血管疾病是导致 世界各地的死亡。随着充血性心脏病的发生， 失败（CHF）占最大比例。目前治疗 终末期CHF是移植，但在美国的40，000名患者中， 65岁，每年接受移植的人数不到3,000人。大多数病人都死了 在等待移植的时候 心室辅助装置可以帮助一些患者， 移植植入式人工心脏将帮助他人， 为有排异问题的患者提供永久解决方案。这些患者 具有接近正常的寿命需要紧凑、高能量密度的存储系统 这样它们就可以自由活动了该SBIR项目的第一阶段展示了 直接甲醇燃料电池（DMFC）在这方面的作用。DMFC消耗高 能量密度甲醇溶液（10%溶液为600 Wh/L）， 温度略高于环境温度，并提供电力。直接甲醇燃料电池堆 在室温下启动，加热到工作温度， 并以53 mW/cm 2的功率密度可靠供电， 只有一个小风扇提供空气和一个小泵提供燃料作为其平衡 植物。用于收集此数据的堆栈由轻量级 材料使用标准的工业过程，以确保最终的权力， 该项目产生的供应将是可制造的。 拟定商业应用： 在美国，每年有近50万人死于充血性心力衰竭，全世界的总数超过3，000，000。至少有一半的人可以从TAH或VAD中受益。这些设备目前正处于以二次电池作为唯一电源的高级测试阶段。随着它们的广泛使用，将需要更高能量密度的电源来为这些患者提供更正常的生活。这是拟议的电源解决的市场。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death around the world. Its prevalence is growing with congestive heart failure (CHF) representing the biggest proportion. Current treatment for end-stage CHF is transplantation, but of 40,000 patients in the US under age 65, less than 3,000 will receive transplants in any year. Most patients die while waiting for a transplant. Ventricular assist devices can help some patients as a bridge to transplantation. Implantable artificial hearts will help others, and serve as a permanent solution for patients with rejection problems. For these patients to have a near-normal life requires a compact, high energy density storage system so they can move about freely. Phase I of this SBIR project demonstrated the efficacy of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) in this role. DMFCs consume high energy density methanol solutions (600 Wh/L for a 10 percent solution) at temperatures slightly above ambient and deliver electrical power. DMFC stacks were demonstrated to start at room temperature, heat to operating temperature, and reliably supply electricity with a power density of 53 mW/cm_, requiring only a small fan to supply air and a small pump to deliver fuel as its balance of plant. The stack used to collect this data was fabricated from lightweight materials using standard industrial processes to insure that the final power supply resulting from this project will be manufacturable. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Nearly 500,000 people die from congestive heart failure in the US each year, with the total exceeding 3,000,000 around the world. At least half of them could benefit from a TAH or a VAD. These devices are currently in advanced stages of testing with secondary batteries as their only power supply. As they come into wider use higher energy density power supplies will be needed to give these patients a more normal life. This is the market that the proposed power supply addresses.