Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Dr. Ronald F. Mann, rmc, BSc, MSc, PhD, FCIC, PEng, Professor

Research Interests

Hydrogen production from liquid fuels, hydrogen purification and storage, catalytic steam reforming of methanol, mathematical modelling of reformers. Performance evaluation and prediction for PEM fuel cells, mathematical modelling of PEM fuel cell power systems.

Over 200 publications, reports, theses, etc. on a variety of topics including; catalyst characterization, heterogeneous catalytic reaction engineering, heat and mass transfer, electrochemical power sources, membrane purification, combustion, explosions, nuclear engineering and life support systems

Publications

R.F. Mann, J.C. Amphlett, B. A. Peppley and C.P. Thurgood, Anode Activation Polarization on Pt(hkl) Electrodes in Dilute Sulphuric Acid Electrolyte, J. Power Sources, Volume 163 (2007) 679-687.

R.F. Mann, J.C. Amphlett, B. A. Peppley and C.P. Thurgood, Henry’s Law and the Solubilities of Reactant Gases in the Modelling of PEM Fuel Cells”, J. Power Sources, Volume 161, Issue 2, 27 Oct 2006, pages 768-774.

R.F. Mann, J.C. Amphlett, B. A. Peppley and C.P. Thurgood, Application of Butler-Volmer Equations in the Modelling of Activation Polarization for PEM Fuel Cells, J. Power Sources, Volume 161, Issue 2, 27 Oct 2006, pages 775-781.

R.F. Mann, J.C. Amphlett, B.A. Peppley and C.P. Thurgood, A Mechanistic Model for the Water Gas Shift Reaction over Commercial Catalysts containing CuO/ZnO, International Journal of Chemical Reaction Engineering, Vol. 2: A5. (Jan. 2004) http://www.bepress.com/ijcre/vol2/A5

R.F. Mann, J.C. Amphlett, M.W. Fowler, B.A. Peppley, Modelling of PEM Fuel Cells, Chapter 8: Fuel Cells for Automotive Applications. Edited by R. Thring, pp113-134. [ISBN 1 86058 423 3] Professional Engineering Publishing Ltd, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK, 2004

M.W. Fowler, R.F. Mann, J.C. Amphlett, S. Kundu, I. Wheeldon and B.A. Peppley, Issues Associated with Material Characteristics in PEM Fuel Cells, Chapter 9: Fuel Cells for Automotive Applications. Edited by R. Thring, pp 135-156. [ISBN 1 86058 423 3.] Professional Engineering Publishing Ltd, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK, 2004.

Brant A. Peppley, John C. Amphlett and Ronald F. Mann, Chapter 12: Catalyst development and kinetics for methanol fuel processing, Handbook of Fuel Cells-Fundamentals, Technology and Applications - Volume 3: Fuel Cell Technology and Applications, Edited by Wolf Vielstich, Hubert Gasteiger, Arnold Lamm. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2003.

Michael Fowler, Ronald F. Mann, John C. Amphlett, Brant A. Peppley and Pierre R. Roberge, Chapter 56: Conceptual reliability analysis of fuel cells, Handbook of Fuel Cells-Fundamentals, Technology and Applications- Volume 3: Fuel Cell Technology and Applications, Edited by Wolf Vielstich, Hubert Gasteiger, Arnold Lamm. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2003.

M.W. Fowler, R.F. Mann, J.C. Amphlett, B.A. Peppley, P.R. Roberge, Incorporation of voltage degradation into a generalised steady state electrochemical model for a PEM fuel cell”, J. Power Sources 106 (2002) 274-283.

M. Fowler, J.C. Amphlett, R.F. Mann, B.A. Peppley, P.R. Roberge, Issues associated with Voltage Degradation in a PEMFC, J. New Materials for Electrochemical Systems, 5(4), Oct. 2002, 255-262.

R.F. Mann, J.C.Amphlett, M.W.Fowler, B.A.Peppley, C.P. Thurgood, Correlation and Prediction of Water Content in Nafion Membranes for PEM Fuel Cell Modeling, Topical Conference Proceedings, Pre.-Pr. Arch.-Am. Inst. Chem. Eng., (Spring National Meeting) pgs 2169-2181. Presented at AIChE Spring National Meeting, New Orleans, March 11-14, 2002.

 R.F. Mann, M.W. Fowler, J.C. Amphlett, M.A.I. Hooper, B.A.Peppley, P.R. Roberge, Further Development of the Generalized Steady-State Electrochemical Model for PEM Fuel Cells. Presented at Recent Advances in Fuel Cells Symposium, Fuel Chemistry Division.  222nd National ACS Meeting, Chicago, August 26-30, 2001.

M.A.I. Hooper, J.C.Amphlett, R.F. Mann, B.A.Peppley and C.P.Thurgood, Experimental Studies of Hydrogen Production by Catalytic Methanol-Steam Reforming using a Membrane Reactor,  HYPOTHESIS IV, Stralsund, Germany, 9-14 Sept 2001.

H.M.Jensen, D. Aporiaye, H.Fjellvag, E.Rytter, J.C. Amphlett, R.F. Mann and B.A.Peppley. Regeneration of hydrotalcite and takovite: calcined takovite as catalyst in methanol steam reforming.  8th European Conference on Solid State Chemistry, Oslo, Norway, July 4-7, 2001.

 R.F. Mann, J.C.Amphlett, M.A.I.Hooper, H.M. Jensen, B.A. Peppley, P.R. Roberge, Development and Application of a Generalized Electrochemical Model for a PEM Fuel Cell”, J. Power Sources, 86(1-2), 173-180(2000).

J.C.Amphlett, R.F. Mann, B.A.Peppley and C.P.Thurgood, Performance Improvement of a Membrane Reactor for Methanol-Steam  Reforming: A Parameter Sensitivity Analysis for a Vehicle Fuel Cell Power Plant, Proceedings of AIChE 2000 Spring National Meeting, Atlanta, GA, March 5-9, 2000. [Pages 160-167 in “Vehicular Fuel Performance: Topical Conference Proceedings

R.F.Mann, J.C.Amphlett, M.A.I.Hooper, H.M.Jensen, B.A.Peppley and P.R.Roberge Development and application of a generalised steady-state electrochemical model for a PEM fuel cell, J.of Power Sources 86 (2000) 173-180.

B.A. Peppley, J.C.Amphlett, L.M. Kearns, R.F. Mann. Methanol-Steam Reforming on on Cu/ZnO/A12O3 Catalyst. Part 2: A Comprehensive Kinetic Model. Appl. Catal. A: General 179 (1-2), 31-50 (1999).

B.A. Peppley, J.C.Amphlett, L.M. Kearns, R.F. Mann. Methanol-Steam Reforming on Cu/ZnO/A12O3 Catalyst. Part I:The Reaction Network. Appl. Catal. A: General 179 (1-2), 21-30 (1999).

J.C.Amphlett, L.M.Kearns, R.F.Mann, B.A.Peppley, J.P. Salvador (co-authored with R.A.J. Dams, P.R.Hayter, S.C. Moore, Wellman CJB Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England) Impact of Reactant Condensation on a Cu/ZnO/A12O3 Catalyst Bed during Methanol-Steam Reforming for Fuel Cell Hydrogen Production. Proc. of the 34rd Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, Paper No.1999-01-2573, 1999, Vancouver, BC.

J.C.Amphlett, L.M.Kearns, R.F.Mann, B.A.Peppley, C.P. Thurgood. Optimization Study of a Methanol-Steam Reformer Integrated with a Pd-Alloy Purifier for the Production of Hydrogen for a PEM Fuel-Cell. Proc. of Hypothesis III, 1999, St.Petersburg, Russia.

J.C.Amphlett, L.M.Kearns, R.F.Mann, B.A.Peppley. Prediction of Levels of CO Contamination in Methanol-Steam Reformate Gas for PEM Fuel Cell Power Systems. Proc. of the 34rd Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, Paper No.1999-01-2571, 1999, Vancouver, BC.

J.C.Amphlett, R.F.Mann, B.A.Peppley, C.P. Thurgood. Evaluation of the Catalytic Ethanol-Steam Reforming Process as a Source of Hydrogen-Rich Gas for Fuel Cells. Proc. of the 9th Canadian Hydrogen Conference, 1999, Vancouver, BC.

J.C. Amphlett, R.F. Mann, B.A. Peppley, P.R. Roberge, A. Rodrigues, J.P. Salvador. Simulation of a 250 kW Diesel Fuel Processor / PEM Fuel Cell System. J. Power Source 71, 179-84 (1998).

J.C. Amphlett, S. Leclerc, R.F. Mann, B.A.Peppley, P.R. Roberge. Fuel Cell Hydrogen Production By Catalytic Ethanol-Steam Reforming,Proc. of the 33rd Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, Paper No. 98-269, August 1998, Colorado Springs, CO., USA.

J.C. Amphlett, E.H. deOliveira, R.F. Mann, P.R. Roberge, A. Rodrigues, J.P. Salvador. Dynamic Interaction of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell and a Lead Acid Battery. J. Power Sources 65, 173 (1997).