Applied Energy
Doctoral student solves old energy problem with a new innovative device. And the project came only from… nature.
A doctoral student guarantees to have found a way of having cleaner and cheaper energy.
Its name is Eric Chadwick, a doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto (Canada), and is leading the movement to solve one of the biggest headaches faced by hydrogen fuel cells: water accumulation.
These are systems that produce electricity by joining hydrogen and oxygen; Only water and heat are left. But there is a problem in these systems: Too much water can clog and make everything slower.
But this new shows that biomimetic auxiliary channels improve oxygen supply and water removal in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.
To combat the problem of clogging and slowness, the investigators found the solution Na… nature. Join desert lizards and plants.
Some lizards that live in dry environments have scales that lead water toward the mouth. Certain plants do something similar: with the ribs of the leaves, guide the drops to the edges, to fall to the ground and reach the roots, remember the.
The team used these natural, desert and plant lizards, to redesign new internal fuel cell channels; are the Flow fieldsthat help water drain more efficiently.
Leaves of plants eventually inspired a design of fuel cell with improvements.
Tested and found that the new design offense more 30% peak power d powerwhat traditional cells. The new system distributed hydrogen and oxygen more evenlyhelping to function smoother and use your platinum catalyst more efficiently.
This new type of fuel cells can generate energy in homes outside the power grid, in fridge trucks or emergency shelters. May replace diesel generators and reduce costs maintenance; companies would save money by moving to a source of Clean and cheaper energy.
The air would be cleaner and with fewer gases that retain heat; The health of nearby communities would thank you.
Researchers want to expand technology using computational modeling. Take it designs of nature and optimize them.
The idea is that these “Lizard -inspired leafy cells” produce energy for houses, clinics and trucks. Nature -tested tricks can help build a smarter, healthier, and more sustainable energetic future.
