Velleman KNS13 - Manual (Page 4)

Troubleshooting
A. The fan begins to run slower or stops running completely
B. After all the wires and tubes have been connected, the fan still cannot run.
Step 1: Disconnect the wires from the fuel cell
Step 2: Place the exhaust tube (connected to the purging valve) over a container or suitable receptacle.
Step 3: Open the purging valve by sliding the switch to the right side, purging out the used solution in the fuel cell chamber and allowing a new
volume of ethanol solution to re-enter the fuel cell chamber, then close the valve (see the picture below).
Step 4: Wait for 5-10 minutes before reconnecting the motor wires to the fuel cell. Once reconnected, watch the fan start rotating again at
constant speed. The fuel cell is able to start the reaction once more (and more hydrogen protons can permeate through the membrane).
Experiment 5: Create electricity from wine or beer
Try using different types of alcohol such as wines made from grapes or rice instead of the ethanol/water solution.
Follow up the steps in the experiment 1: create electricity from ethanol and water to create electricity.
Warning:
1. Alcohols used should stay within the range of 5-15% alcohol. If you are using an alcohol that has a higher concentration
than 20% please mix the adequate amount of water into the alcohol to keep the required concentration range of 5-15%.
2. Using impure ethanol can damage the performance of the fuel cell. You may want to conduct experiments using impure
ethanol once all other experiments using pure ethanol are completed.
When you have finished all the steps as in experiment 1, you may notice the fan may run very slowly, or may not run. When using
different alcohol types, this can affect performance. This has to do with the purity of the solution, since some alcohols such as wine
contain elements that can clog the membrane on the fuel cell, limiting its permeability. Use a multi-meter or Horizon’s fuel cell software
adaptor ref. FCJJ-24 to measure the voltage or current produced by the fuel cell under various conditions and slowing the speed of the
chemical reaction.
See experiment 6: You will be able to prove that at different temperature conditions, different voltages are produced, and you can plot
these results into a chart to determine the optimal temperature conditions for the fuel cell to generate the best results.
Experiment 6: Exploring the effects of temperature.
Note: Before you blow warm air towards the fuel cell, feel the air temperature with your hand first to make sure the air is not too hot (below
60 o C is preferred).
Step 1: Use a hair drier to blow warm air towards each side of the fuel cell or place a warmer ethanol/water solution into the ethanol
storage tank. You will observe that the motor and fan will be operating at a faster speed.
Step 2: Use a multi-meter or Horizon’s fuel cell software adaptor product ref. FCJJ-24 to measure the voltage produced by the fuel cell.
You will be able to test that at different temperature conditions, different voltages are produced, and you can plot these results into a
chart to determine the optimal temperature conditions for the fuel cell.
At higher temperatures, atoms tend to move faster and are more likely to interact with the catalysts located on the surface of the
membrane. With more interactions, the reaction accelerates and more electricity can be produced, which means the fan starts to turn
faster.
Conclusions:
(1) Higher temperature will make it more likely for ethanol molecules to interact with the catalysts located on the surface of the
membrane, which accelerates the speed of the chemical reaction.
(2) High temperature can also make the membrane more active, so it will demonstrate an increased ability of proton exchange within the
membrane and an increase the speed of the fan motor. Increasing the power capability of ethanol fuel cells can be done by increasing
their operating temperature, or the temperature of their fuel.
Solution:
a. Disconnect the motor connector wires from the fuel celll. Place the purge tube (exhaust tube) over a container and empty the
contents of the acetic acid solution. Open the valve to let a few drops of acetic acid flow out, allowing the mixture of the fresh ethanol
solution to re-enter the fuel cell. Wait for 5-10 minutes. Then connect the motor connector wires to the fuel cell. Tap the fan’s blade to
get it started and watch it go at constant speed.
b. If the solution level is too low in the container and it can not flow into the fuel cell chamber, mix new solution and pour it into the
container to reach the proper level.
c. You can also try the following steps:
Solution:
a. Make sure that the red and black clips are connected on the two terminals located on the fuel cell.
b. Make sure that the tube from the solution container is well connected to the nozzle of the fuel cell.
c. Make sure the ethanol solution is able to circulate into the fuel cell and that the tubing is not blocked.