Micro-Fuel Cells

Micro fuel cell and reformer systems will play an important role in upcoming micro energy systems as a supplement or a replacement for batteries for off-grid or portable electronic devices. Micro reformers process hydrocarbon fuels or alcohols into hydrogen rich gases which are subsequently converted into electric power within micro fuel cells. Reformers do play a crucial role when it comes to disseminating fuel cell systems into mass markets, because they allow the end user to use fuels that are more readily available than hydrogen. This is reflected by the great amount of global players in consumer electronics that research micro fuel cells and reformer systems. In this article, an overview of the principles of fuel cells and reformers featuring MEMS based technologies is given. While micro fuel cells are under development with a focus on the realization of high power density and passive operation, research in the area of micro-channel reformers is concentrating on the reforming reactor, burner, heat exchanger and gas treatment design as well as the catalyst development. The current status of the various research activities as well as the major challenges for the realization of miniaturized complete energy systems is described