High-efficiency fuel utilization innovation in microfluidic fuel cells: From liquid-feed to vapor-feed

Fuel cells are an efficient, environmentally friendly and renewable energy device, which is synonymous with the green age. Microfluidic fuel cells are an excellent solution to the energy needs of portable electronic devices. In the present study, both vapor-and liquid-feed modes are established, which are combined with physical fields. Moreover, the accuracy of the models is verified. According to the results, the vapor-feed microfluidic fuel cell achieves higher tolerance to low flow rates while realizing a much higher energy efficiency than the liquid-feed microfluidic fuel cell. In addition, the performance of these microfluidic fuel cells is significantly improved by increasing the electrolyte and fuel concentrations. In terms of fuel utilization, the vapor-feed mode performs much better than that of liquid-feed mode no matter what parameters are changed, which shows the superiority of vapor-feed microfluidic fuel cell. Sensitivity analysis shows that either the electrolyte or fuel concentration significantly affects the power output of these microfluidic fuel cells. Although their growth can improve the power output of the fuel cells, they have adverse effects on energy efficiency. Conclusions indicate that the vapor-feed microfluidic fuel cell is more suitable for portable electronic products, and it is worthy of further development.(c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Fuel cells are efficient, environmentally friendly, and renewable energy devices that are well-suited for portable electronic devices. This study found that vapor-feed microfluidic fuel cells have higher tolerance to low flow rates and achieve higher energy efficiency compared to liquid-feed microfluidic fuel cells. Additionally, increasing the electrolyte and fuel concentrations significantly improves the performance of these microfluidic fuel cells.