Challenges in Design of an Orientation free Micro Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (µDMFC)

The need for increasing the energy density of the power sources for portable electronic applications is getting increasingly important. Hearing aid devices are among the most demanding portable products and require power generators with high energy generation capability. In the current paper the challenges in design and manufacturing of a micro direct methanol fuel cell (μDMFC) as the power generator in hearing aid devices is investigated.

Among the different challenges in design for μDMFC, the CO2 bubble management and orientation independency of the cell are addressed by proposing a spring loaded mechanism. Furthermore, the feasibility and manufacturability of the proposed design are examined and discussed. The main purpose of this paper is to address the constraints in design for micro manufacturing considering the available manufacturing possibilities.