Degradation Effects on PEM Fuel Cells Supplied with Hydrogen from a LOHC System

2016 ◽  
Vol 839 ◽  
pp. 165-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Luschtinetz ◽  
Andreas Sklarow ◽  
Johannes Gulden
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Pure Hydrogen ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC) are a promising form to store hydrogen. However, the process of dehydrogenation has to be demonstrated for applications with proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells which require very pure hydrogen. Here we document the measured degradation effects due to CO contamination on a PEM fuel cell that is supplied with hydrogen from a LOHC and we want to use later in a maritime application.

Alloys that form conductive and passivating oxides for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates

2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 1723-1729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil Aukland ◽  
Abdellah Boudina ◽  
David S. Eddy ◽  
Joseph V. Mantese ◽  
Margarita P. Thompson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Oxide Films ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Bipolar Plates ◽  
Concentrated Solutions ◽  
Exchange Membrane

During the operation of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, a high-resistance oxide is often formed on the cathode surface of base metal bipolar plates. Over time, this corrosion mechanism leads to a drop in fuel cell efficiency and potentially to complete failure. To address this problem, we have developed alloys capable of forming oxides that are both conductive and chemically stable under PEM fuel cell operating conditions. Five alloys of titanium with tantalum or niobium were investigated. The oxides were formed on the alloys by cyclic voltammetry in solutions mimicking the cathode- and anode-side environment of a PEM fuel cell. The oxides of all tested alloys had lower surface resistance than the oxide of pure titanium. We also investigated the chemical durability of Ti–Nb and Ti–Ta alloys in more concentrated solutions beyond those typically found in PEM fuel cells. The oxide films formed on Ti–Nb and Ti–Ta alloys remained conductive and chemically stable in these concentrated solutions. The stability of the oxide films was evaluated; Ti alloys having 3% Ta and Nb were identified as potential candidates for bipolar plate materials.

Design and Experimental Characterization of a High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Stack

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Radu ◽  
Nicola Zuliani ◽  
Rodolfo Taccani
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Pure Hydrogen ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells based on polybenzimidazole (PBI) polymers and phosphoric acid can be operated at temperature between 120 °C and 180 °C. Reactant humidification is not required and CO content up to 1% in the fuel can be tolerated, only marginally affecting performance. This is what makes high-temperature PEM (HTPEM) fuel cells very attractive, as low quality reformed hydrogen can be used and water management problems are avoided. From an experimental point of view, the major research effort up to now was dedicated to the development and study of high-temperature membranes, especially to development of acid-doped PBI type membranes. Some studies were dedicated to the experimental analysis of single cells and only very few to the development and characterization of high-temperature stacks. This work aims to provide more experimental data regarding high-temperature fuel cell stacks, operated with hydrogen but also with different types of reformates. The main design features and the performance curves obtained with a three-cell air-cooled stack are presented. The stack was tested on a broad temperature range, between 120 and 180 °C, with pure hydrogen and gas mixtures containing up to 2% of CO, simulating the output of a typical methanol reformer. With pure hydrogen, at 180 °C, the considered stack is able to deliver electrical power of 31 W at 1.8 V. With a mixture containing 2% of carbon monoxide, in the same conditions, the performance drops to 24 W. The tests demonstrated that the performance loss caused by operation with reformates, can be partially compensated by a higher stack temperature.

scholarly journals Optimal Estimation of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Parameter Based on Coyote Optimization Algorithm

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2052
Author(s):  
Amlak Abaza ◽  
Ragab A. El-Sehiemy ◽  
Karar Mahmoud ◽  
Matti Lehtonen ◽  
Mohamed M. F. Darwish
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Optimization Algorithm ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Exchange Membrane

In recent years, the penetration of fuel cells in distribution systems is significantly increased worldwide. The fuel cell is considered an electrochemical energy conversion component. It has the ability to convert chemical to electrical energies as well as heat. The proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell uses hydrogen and oxygen as fuel. It is a low-temperature type that uses a noble metal catalyst, such as platinum, at reaction sites. The optimal modeling of PEM fuel cells improves the cell performance in different applications of the smart microgrid. Extracting the optimal parameters of the model can be achieved using an efficient optimization technique. In this line, this paper proposes a novel swarm-based algorithm called coyote optimization algorithm (COA) for finding the optimal parameter of PEM fuel cell as well as PEM stack. The sum of square deviation between measured voltages and the optimal estimated voltages obtained from the COA algorithm is minimized. Two practical PEM fuel cells including 250 W stack and Ned Stack PS6 are modeled to validate the capability of the proposed algorithm under different operating conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed COA is demonstrated through the comparison with four optimizers considering the same conditions. The final estimated results and statistical analysis show a significant accuracy of the proposed method. These results emphasize the ability of COA to estimate the parameters of the PEM fuel cell model more precisely.

scholarly journals A Comprehensive Review on Measurement and Correlation Development of Capillary Pressure for Two-Phase Modeling of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Si ◽  
Xiao-Dong Wang ◽  
Wei-Mon Yan ◽  
Tian-Hu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Capillary Pressure ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Porous Electrodes ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Water transport and the corresponding water management strategy in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are quite critical for the improvement of the cell performance. Accuracy modeling of water transport in porous electrodes strongly depends on the appropriate constitutive relationship for capillary pressure which is referred to aspc-scorrelation, wherepcis the capillary pressure andsis the fraction of saturation in the pores. In the present PEM fuel cell two-phase models, the Leverett-Udellpc-scorrelation is widely utilized which is proposed based on fitting the experimental data for packed sands. However, the size and structure of pores for the commercial porous electrodes used in PEM fuel cells differ from those for the packed sands significantly. As a result, the Leverett-Udell correlation should be improper to characterize the two-phase transport in the porous electrodes. In the recent decade, many efforts were devoted to measuring the capillary pressure data and developing newpc-scorrelations. The objective of this review is to review the most significant developments in recent years concerning the capillary pressure measurements and the developedpc-scorrelations. It is expected that this review will be beneficial to develop the improved PEM fuel cell two-phase model.

scholarly journals Recent Progress in the Development of Composite Membranes Based on Polybenzimidazole for High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell Applications

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1861 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Escorihuela ◽  
Jessica Olvera-Mancilla ◽  
Larissa Alexandrova ◽  
L. Felipe del Castillo ◽  
Vicente Compañ
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Composite Membranes ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Exchange Membrane

The rapid increasing of the population in combination with the emergence of new energy-consuming technologies has risen worldwide total energy consumption towards unprecedent values. Furthermore, fossil fuel reserves are running out very quickly and the polluting greenhouse gases emitted during their utilization need to be reduced. In this scenario, a few alternative energy sources have been proposed and, among these, proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are promising. Recently, polybenzimidazole-based polymers, featuring high chemical and thermal stability, in combination with fillers that can regulate the proton mobility, have attracted tremendous attention for their roles as PEMs in fuel cells. Recent advances in composite membranes based on polybenzimidazole (PBI) for high temperature PEM fuel cell applications are summarized and highlighted in this review. In addition, the challenges, future trends, and prospects of composite membranes based on PBI for solid electrolytes are also discussed.

Progress on Reflective Terahertz Imaging for Identification of Water in Flow Channels of PEM Fuel Cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 110-116 ◽  
pp. 2301-2307
Author(s):  
P. Buaphad ◽  
P. Thamboon ◽  
C. Tengsirivattana ◽  
J. Saisut ◽  
K. Kusoljariyakul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Thz Radiation ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Flow Channels ◽  
Exchange Membrane

This work reports an application of reflective terahertz (THz) imaging for identification of water distribution in the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The THz radiation generated from relativistic femtosecond electron bunches is employed as a high intensity source. The PEM fuel cell is designed specifically for the measurement allowing THz radiation to access the flow field region. The THz image is constructed from reflected radiation revealing absorptive area of water presence. The technique is proved to be a promising tool for studying water management in the PEM fuel cell. Detailed experimental setup and results will be described.

Component Failure Analysis From the U.S. Army ERDC-CERL Residential Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Demonstration

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Kenner ◽  
Nicholas M. Josefik ◽  
Scott M. Lux ◽  
James L. Knight ◽  
Melissa K. White ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Fuel Cell Stack ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Exchange Membrane ◽  
Mean Time ◽  
The U.S

Background: The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL) continues to manage The Department of Defense (DoD) Residential Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell Demonstration Project. This project was funded by the United States Congress for fiscal years 2001 through 2004. A fleet of 91 residential-scale PEM fuel cells, ranging in size from 1 to 5 kW, has been demonstrated at various U.S. DoD facilities around the world. Approach: The performance of the fuel cells has been monitored over a 12-month field demonstration period. A detailed analysis has been performed cataloging the component failures, investigating the mean time of the failures, and the mean time between failures. A discussion of the lifespan and failure modes of selected fuel cell components, based on component type, age, and usage will be provided. This analysis also addresses fuel cell stack life for both primary and back-up power systems. Several fuels were used throughout the demonstration, including natural gas, propane, and hydrogen. A distinction will be made on any variances in performance based on the input fuel stock. Summary: This analysis will provide an overview of the ERDC-CERL PEM demonstration fuel cell applications and the corresponding data from the field demonstrations. Special emphasis will be placed on the components, fuel cell stack life, and input fuel characteristics of the systems demonstrated.

Thermodynamic Analysis of the Performance of an Irreversible PEMFC

2018 ◽  
Vol 388 ◽  
pp. 350-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang Jie Li ◽  
Ye Liu ◽  
Zhe Shu Ma
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Operating Pressure ◽  
Controllable Factors ◽  
Temperature Operating ◽  
Exchange Membrane

An irreversible model of proton exchange membrane fuel cells working at steady-state is established, in which the irreversibility resulting from overpotentials, internal currents and leakage currents are taken into account．In this paper, the irreversibility of fuel cell is expounded mainly from electrochemistry. The general performance characteristic curves are generated including output voltage, output power and output efficiency. In addition, the irreversibility of a class of PEMFC is studied by changing the operating conditions (controllable factors) of the fuel cell, including effect of operating temperature, operating pressure and leakage current. The results provide a theoretical basis for both the operation and optimal design of real PEM fuel cells．

Development of an Optical Sensor for Temperature Measurement and Water Droplet Detection in PEMFC Gas Channels

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristopher Inman ◽  
Xia Wang ◽  
Brian Sangerozan
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Temperature Measurement ◽  
Water Droplet ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Droplet Movement ◽  
Temperature Measurement System

Thermal and water management in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells provide a significant challenge for engineers and fuel cell designers as both have a direct effect on performance and durability. Internal temperature is very difficult to measure due to component geometry and the internal environment possessed by PEM fuel cells along with a lack of sufficient temperature measurement methods which are often highly invasive. This research presents initial developments for creating a non-intrusive temperature measurement system, based on the principles of phosphor thermometry, which also has the ability to optically detect liquid water formation and movement in PEMFC gas channels. The sensor was designed, calibrated and then installed in a 25 cm2 PEM fuel cell for in-situ testing. The experimental data show that a relationship exists between temperature variation and water droplet movement in gas channels of a PEM fuel cell.

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