Direct Dimethyl Ether (DME) Fuel Cell for Portable Applications

Investigators: Matthew Mench, CY Wang, and Henry Chance
Sponsor: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

The use of Dimethyl Ether in PEM fuel cells has several key advantages for portable applications compared to hydrogen or direct methanol fuel cells. Non-toxic, high density, liquid DME fuel can be easily stored at modest pressures. This combines the fuel delivery (pumpless) advantage of a hydrogen fuel cell with the high energy density of a liquid fuel. This project will determine the feasibility of a portable DME fuel cell by examining the limiting transport mechanisms for efficient reaction.

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrocopy (FTIR) Chemical Species Analysis System will be used to analyze species composition in the DME cell