TY - JOUR
T1 - Microvalve to Control Fuel for Portable Fuel Cells
AU - Yoshida, Kazushi
AU - Hagihara, Yosuke
AU - Saitoh, Masaaki
AU - Tomonari, Shigeaki
AU - Tanaka, Shuji
AU - Esashi, Masayoshi
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - This paper describes a microvalve which is actuated by electrostatic force for the flow control of fuel in portable direct methanol fuel cell systems. The microvalve is fabricated by using standard MEMS fabrication techniques including photolithography, wet etching, thin film deposition and anodic bonding. The microvalve is equipped with a novel pressure-balance mechanism for normally-closed operation against pressurized fuel. The pressure-balance mechanism is composed of a pressure-balance tank whose pressure is adjusted to the same pressure as inlet by a soft corrugated diaphragm. This balanced pressure pushes the boss, which is supported by a soft actuator diaphragm, to close the microvalve, enabling a low driving voltage operation. By applying 100 Vdc, the microvalve controlled the flow rate of methanol up to maximum flow rate of 100 (μl/min at an inlet pressure of 40 kPa. The microvalve is expected to miniaturize the fuel delivery system, and eventually increase the practical energy density of portable fuel cell systems. Keywords : microvalve, fuel cell, DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell), electrostatic actuator.
AB - This paper describes a microvalve which is actuated by electrostatic force for the flow control of fuel in portable direct methanol fuel cell systems. The microvalve is fabricated by using standard MEMS fabrication techniques including photolithography, wet etching, thin film deposition and anodic bonding. The microvalve is equipped with a novel pressure-balance mechanism for normally-closed operation against pressurized fuel. The pressure-balance mechanism is composed of a pressure-balance tank whose pressure is adjusted to the same pressure as inlet by a soft corrugated diaphragm. This balanced pressure pushes the boss, which is supported by a soft actuator diaphragm, to close the microvalve, enabling a low driving voltage operation. By applying 100 Vdc, the microvalve controlled the flow rate of methanol up to maximum flow rate of 100 (μl/min at an inlet pressure of 40 kPa. The microvalve is expected to miniaturize the fuel delivery system, and eventually increase the practical energy density of portable fuel cell systems. Keywords : microvalve, fuel cell, DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell), electrostatic actuator.
KW - DMFC(direct menthanol fuel cell
KW - electrostatic actuator
KW - fuel cell
KW - microvalve
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U2 - 10.1541/ieejsmas.125.418
DO - 10.1541/ieejsmas.125.418
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33750114082
SN - 1341-8939
VL - 125
SP - 418
EP - 423
JO - IEEJ Transactions on Sensors and Micromachines
JF - IEEJ Transactions on Sensors and Micromachines
IS - 10
ER -