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This chapter illustrates a methodology for designing a direct methanol fuel cell (FC) stack. To show the path that goes from the electrochemical principle to the final device, the reader will find a general description of the components of a single cell, an FC stack, and an FC system. In addition, a brief review of thermodynamic is provided. These basic skills are essential for understanding the subsequent parts of this chapter, where the entire path for making an FC stack is described. The design methodology starts from the calculation of the electrical parameters of the FC stack (voltage and current), the single cell active area, the number of cells, and the cell voltage (which is related to the stack efficiency). Such parameters represent the input data for the design of the flow-field and for the definition of the layout of the bipolar plate. Moreover, sealing, cooling, and clamping of the stack are discussed and practical suggestion are provided in terms of materials, thicknesses, and simplified calculations. The chapter also presents an excursus on the materials most used for bipolar plates and on different stack architectures. |
