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Effects of anode orientation and flow channel design on performance of refuelable zinc-air fuel cells

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Abstract

The effects of anode orientation (whether an anode is located above or under a cathode) and flow channel design (parallel or serpentine flow channel) on the performance of refuelable zinc-air fuel cells (RZAFC) continuously fed with KOH electrolyte were investigated. The performance test was conducted at different electrolyte flow rates of 2, 4, and 6 ml h−1. A polarization test of the cell was conducted at the initial stage of operation, followed by a long-term current discharge test in potentiostatic mode. The spent zinc powders were characterized by a scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction. The experimental results revealed that the anode-bottom orientation in the cell performed much better than the anode-top orientation with 11.4 times higher zinc utilization. The performance reduction of the anode-top orientation cell was caused by the cathode overpotential, due to the flooding of the cathode by water crossover from the anode, which was induced by the gravity force. For the flow channel design effects, there was an optimum electrolyte flow rate, to yield a maximum current discharge capacity, of 4 ml h−1 in this study. At this optimum flow rate, the total charge per gram of zinc delivered from the anode serpentine cell was 1.75 times higher than that from the anode-parallel one.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), and the Higher Education Research Promotion and National Research University (NRU) Project of Thailand, Office of the Higher Education Commission, and the Department of Chemical Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha-Uthit Rd., Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Chanipa Jiratchayamaethasakul, Nalinee Srijaroenpramong, Thanadon Bunyangyuen, Wichaya Arpavate & Supaporn Therdthianwong

  2. Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Research and Engineering Center, Clean Energy System Group, PDTI, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha-Uthit Rd., Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Nutthapon Wongyao & Apichai Therdthianwong

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  1. Chanipa Jiratchayamaethasakul
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  2. Nalinee Srijaroenpramong
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Correspondence to Supaporn Therdthianwong.

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Jiratchayamaethasakul, C., Srijaroenpramong, N., Bunyangyuen, T. et al. Effects of anode orientation and flow channel design on performance of refuelable zinc-air fuel cells. J Appl Electrochem 44, 1205–1218 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-014-0737-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-014-0737-4

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