Fuel Cells

Creare is actively developing fuel cell components and systems, primarily oriented to lightweight portable power systems. Our work in fuel cells has its heritage in prior Creare developments in alkali metal thermal-to-electric conversion (AMTEC) systems and compact high-performance heat exchangers. Our work in fuel cells focuses on stack design, system optimization, and control of thermal-fluid material balances in the cell.

In cooperation with a corporate partner, Creare recently demonstrated an extremely lightweight and compact direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with potential use in portable power systems. Our lightweight stack technology features very high power and energy density as well as a unique low-compression seal design, simplified manifolding, and passive water management. We have built and tested thermal and fluid management systems for prototype fuel cells and are currently initiating development of technology enabling use of concentrated methanol as fuel for direct methanol fuel cells.