D5.1 - Novel Microthermal Sensor for Quantification of Methanol in Water for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells
- Event
- AMA Conferences 2013
2013-05-14 - 2013-05-16
Nürnberg - Band
- Proceedings SENSOR 2013
- Chapter
- D5 - Biosensors II
- Author(s)
- B. Schmitt, C. Kiefer, A. Schütze - Saarland University, Saarbrücken (Germany)
- Pages
- 546 - 551
- DOI
- 10.5162/sensor2013/D5.1
- ISBN
- 978-3-9813484-3-9
- Price
- free
Abstract
A novel, simple sensor principle for determination of the ratio of fluids in a mixture is investigated. It makes use of the different thermal properties of the components in the mixture like thermal conductivity and heat capacity. Through their determination the ratio of components of binary mixtures can be measured if the components are known. When applying a heat pulse the temperature rise after a given time is used to determine the mixture ratio. Using microfabricated structures the sensor is capable of measuring the mixture ratio with an accuracy of approximately 2% in single shot experiments in less than a second. In Direct Methanol Fuel Cells the sensor can be used in a closed loop control of the methanol amount in deionized water to ensure the optimum working point.