Patent ID: 6468683
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A method of operating a direct methanol fuel cell which comprises the steps of:(a) supplying methanol and water to an anode compartment of a direct methanol fuel cell having said anode compartment separated from a cathode compartment and in which methanol and water are converted to carbon dioxide and protons in the anode compartment and protons react with oxygen to form water in the cathode compartment with generation of heat; (b) passing a coolant through said fuel cell to remove heat therefrom at least in part by evaporation of said coolant in said fuel cell to produce an evaporated coolant; (c) vaporizing a methanol-water mixture in an evaporator to produce a vaporized methanol-water mixture; (d) supplying heat to said evaporator by condensation of the evaporated coolant or supplying heat to said evaporator by utilizing the methanol-water mixture as a coolant for said fuel cell; and (e) feeding said vaporized methanol-water mixture to said anode compartment.