Pocket-size PEMs
A recent study by Joan Ogden at Princeton University’s Center for Energy and Environmental Studies tabulated a range of published estimates for the manufacturing costs of mass-produced auto fuel cell systems. The banded-structure membrane fuel cell, from Fraunhofer ISE, draws off voltage at the endplates through an integrated series connection that ties together individual cells. The typical proton exchange membrane (PEM), fuel cell consists of a series of stacked individual cells, with each cell composed of a flow field plate and a membrane electrode assembly. An air breather PEM fuel cell from DCH Technology distributes hydrogen to the flow fields through a central sleeve, while air at atmospheric pressure comes in through the sides. One of the benefits of Manhattan Scientifics’ circuit board approach is the ability of an electrode to act as a ‘preferential molecular filter’. Fraunhofer Institute scientists have been at work on a banded-structure membrane fuel cell. This device holds five-unit cells on a single plate connected as a series circuit.