The goal of UC Merced's Thermal and Electrochemical Energy Laboratory (TEEL) is to fundamentally understand thermal management and electrochemistry and apply that understanding to the design of effective devices like loop heat pipes and fuel cells.
To function smoothly, many devices require effective thermal management, which includes heating and cooling. A loop heat pipe is a completely passive, two-phase heat transfer device, which can transport high heat flux over a certain distance. These devices are being applied in space and terrestrial applications.
A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy directly to electricity through electrochemical reactions. It is one of the most promising solutions for zero-emissions and energy independence. Fuel cells can be used as the energy source for transportation, stationary, and portable applications.
Our current research topics and future research plans include:
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Fuel cell testing, characterization, diagnostics, and modeling (Testing & Diagnosis)
- Key component design, processing, and integration (MEA)
- Energy system integration, optimization, and life-cycle analysis
- Loop heat pipe simulation
