A cartridge includes a first housing, a second housing within the first housing, and a colorant. The first housing has an interior surface and an exterior surface, and the second housing contains an alcohol fuel or a hydrocarbon fuel and has an interior surface and an exterior surface. The colorant is supported by at least a portion of the interior surface of the first housing.
1. A method, comprising:
flowing an alcohol fuel or a hydrocarbon fuel in vapor form from a fuel supply cartridge to provide the alcohol fuel or the hydrocarbon fuel to a fuel cell through a vapor permeable, liquid impermeable membrane, the fuel supply cartridge containing a mixture of a first colorant, a second colorant different from the first colorant, and the alcohol fuel or the hydrocarbon fuel,
wherein substantially all of the first colorant remains in the cartridge while the alcohol fuel or the hydrocarbon fuel flows in vapor form through the membrane; and
measuring the concentration of the first colorant in the mixture within the cartridge.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol fuel comprises methanol.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the concentration of the first colorant in the mixture within the cartridge comprises spectroscopically detecting the concentration of the first colorant in the mixture within the cartridge.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is a pervaporation membrane that converts the fuel from a liquid form to the vapor form.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises silicone.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises poly(dimethyl)silicone or poly(trimethyl)silyl propyne.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fluorocarbon polymers, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonates, polyimides, polysulfones, polysulfides, polyurethanes, polyesters, cellulose, and combinations thereof.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first colorant comprises a liquid colorant or a powder colorant.
9. A method, comprising:
flowing an alcohol fuel or a hydrocarbon fuel in vapor form from a fuel supply cartridge to provide the alcohol fuel or the hydrocarbon fuel to a fuel cell through a vapor permeable, liquid impermeable membrane, the fuel supply cartridge containing a mixture of a first colorant and the alcohol fuel or the hydrocarbon fuel; and
observing the increase of the concentration of the first colorant in the mixture within the fuel supply cartridge as the alcohol fuel or the hydrocarbon fuel flows out of the fuel supply cartridge in vapor form through the membrane.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the alcohol fuel comprises methanol.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising measuring the concentration of the first colorant in the mixture within the cartridge.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein measuring the concentration of the first colorant in the mixture within the cartridge comprises spectroscopically detecting the concentration of the first colorant in the mixture within the cartridge.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the membrane is a pervaporation membrane that converts the fuel from a liquid form to the vapor form.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the membrane comprises silicone.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the membrane comprises poly(dimethyl)silicone or poly(trimethyl)silyl propyne.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the membrane comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fluorocarbon polymers, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonates, polyimides, polysulfones, polysulfides, polyurethanes, polyesters, cellulose, and combinations thereof.
17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first colorant comprises a liquid colorant or a powder colorant.
18. The method of claim 9 , wherein the mixture further comprises a second colorant that is different from the first colorant.
19. A method, comprising:
flowing an alcohol fuel or a hydrocarbon fuel in vapor form from a fuel supply cartridge to provide the alcohol fuel or the hydrocarbon fuel to a fuel cell through a vapor permeable, liquid impermeable membrane, the fuel supply cartridge containing a mixture of a first colorant and the alcohol fuel or the hydrocarbon fuel; and
measuring the concentration of the first colorant in the mixture within the fuel supply cartridge after the alcohol fuel or hydrocarbon fuel flows in vapor form through the membrane.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the alcohol fuel comprises methanol.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein measuring the concentration of the first colorant in the mixture within the cartridge comprises spectroscopically detecting the concentration of the first colorant in the mixture within the cartridge.
22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the membrane is a pervaporation membrane that converts the fUel from a liquid form to the vapor form.
23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the membrane comprises silicone.
24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the membrane comprises poly(dimethyl)silicone or poly(trimethyl)silyl propyne.
25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the membrane comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fluorocarbon polymers, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonates, polyimides, polysulfones, polysulfides, polyurethanes, polyesters, cellulose, and combinations thereof.
26. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first colorant comprises a liquid colorant or a powder colorant.
27. The method of claim 19 , wherein the mixture further comprises a second colorant that is different from the first colorant.