Methanol Fuel Cell?

[KFC]

I was wondering why this fuel cell needs 3% methanol and if you gave it a higher percentage it make the output go up?

[insane_alien]

yes it would generate more power at higher concentrations. this however can be a bad thing. with more power comes more heat. seeing as this is not an industrial fuelcell equipped with insulation and a cooling system and probably intended for hobbyist usage it is probably helpful to prevent it getting hot enough it burn things including itself. especially with volatile flammable liquids around.

[KFC]

What is the highest concentration that i could use without heat being an issue or is that 3%?

[insane_alien]

might get 5% i don't think they'd release it to the public(there is always an idiot out there) without a safety margin.

 

my advice would be to slowly increase the concentration and stop once it seems to be getting significantly warmer. unless of course the exchange membrane is somehow temperature sensitive and it'll stop working al together.

[KFC]

Cool,

Thank you for the info on the fuel cell.

[DrDNA]

Before you spend $95 you might want to try to build a simple one of your own with some MEA, stainless steel screen and big band aids.....

 

 

http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2006/06/how_to_build_your_own_band_aid.html