ISSN Online: 2377-424X
ISBN Print: 978-1-56700-421-2
International Heat Transfer Conference 15
Fuel Cell Co-Generation System with Loop Heat Pipe Based Thermal Control
Résumé
Fuel cell has merit to provide high efficient and low emission power source for variety of applications including
vehicles, telecommunication and emergency power supply. Co-generation system can be achieved with fuel cell
that can satisfy both electric and heating requirements in the intended application. In this paper, combined fuel
cell and loop heat pipe (LHP) based cogeneration system has been presented and thermally characterized in
detail. The paper provides design and structure overview of the direct methanol fuel cell and possible options on
how to integrate loop heat pipe with the fuel cell stack. Design and thermal performance of the loop heat pipe as
passive thermal control to collect and utilize waste heat output by the kilowatt range direct methanol
fuel cell (DMFC) has been discussed in detail. Loop heat pipe prototype with cylindrical evaporator, 25 mm
diameter & 150 mm length, and heat transfer distance of 1000 mm respectively was fabricated and tested.
Copper was used as the containment material, nickel as wicking material and water as the working fluid. The
prototype was able to transfer 600 − 800 W heat load in different orientation and presented minimum overall
thermal resistance of 0.09 °C/W at maximum input heat load. As an outcome of the present research
investigation, loop heat pipes can provide reliable and passive thermal control module for high powered
cogeneration fuel cells.
MOTS CLÉS:
Heat pipe, Thermal management, Loop Heat Pipe, LHP, Thermal control, Fuel cell, DMFC, Co-generation