Parametric studies on the membrane arrangement and porous properties of the flowing electrolyte channel in a flowing electrolyteedirect methanol fuel cell David Ouellette a,* , Can Ozgur Colpan b , Cynthia Ann Cruickshank a , Edgar Matida a a Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada b Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dokuz Eylul University, Buca, Izmir 35397, Turkey article info Article history: Received 15 November 2014 Received in revised form 26 January 2015 Accepted 1 February 2015 Available online 18 March 2015 Keywords: Parametric study Multiphase model Fuel cell DMFC Flowing electrolyte abstract A parametric study is conducted using a previously described one-dimensional, multi- phase model of a flowing electrolyteedirect methanol fuel cell (FEeDMFC). The anode and cathode membrane (AM and CM) thicknesses and porous properties (porosity and permeability) of the flowing electrolyte channel (FEC) were each individually varied, and recommendations on conditions which yield maximum power density and minimal methanol and water crossover are provided. The results of this study suggest that a thin AM and thick CM arrangement should be used; on the order of 25.4 mm and 183 mm respectively e corresponding to Nafion ® 112 and 117 membranes respectively. The results also suggest that a fully open FEC (porosity of one) will provide the greatest performance. Although this configuration contradicts existing experimental data, considerations such as the choice of catalyst layer (CL) wettability and back pressure within the FEC are provided to achieve a membraneless FEeDMFC with a fully open FEC. If a porous FEC is to be used, the results suggest that a permeability greater than 10 11 m 2 provide sufficient hydration within the CM. The trends regarding the membrane arrangement and FEC permeability are consistent with trends found from previous experimental studies. Copyright © 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Introduction The flowing electrolyteedirect methanol fuel cell (FEeDMFC) is a potential solution to the long standing methanol crossover problem for the DMFC [1]. In this fuel cell, shown in Fig. 1, the anode and cathode are separated by a porous flowing elec- trolyte channel (FEC), whereby a diluted liquid electrolyte, such as sulfuric acid, is flown through, to remove any meth- anol that attempts to crossover. * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ1 613 520 2600x5027. E-mail addresses: davidouellette@cmail.carleton.ca (D. Ouellette), ozgur.colpan@deu.edu.tr (C.O. Colpan), cynthia.cruickshank@ carleton.ca (C.A. Cruickshank), edgar.matida@carleton.ca (E. Matida). Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/he international journal of hydrogen energy 40 (2015) 7732 e7742 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2015.02.001 0360-3199/Copyright © 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.