The identification of optimal operating parameters under high energy efficiency conditions for a single polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell

The performance of PEM fuel cells is influenced by several factors such as: the operating temperature of the cell, the reactant gas flow, work pressures, the reaction gas humidity. In the present work we aimed to identify the optimal values of these parameters for operation of a PEM cell to achieve maximum power in conditions of high efficiency; the technological possibilities of its use in a portable energy application have been evaluated. Experimental measurements regarding the integrating polymeric membrane in three different fuel cell construction designed were performed. The influence of the mechanical compression of the GDL diffusion layer on the total internal resistance of the cell was achieved by comparative analysis of the polarization curves. It was found that as the deformation level of the MEA increases, the power generated by the battery increases progressively. The resulting experimental data subsequently allowed the design and implementation of a PEM fuel cell assembly, fully functional at power level, corresponding to the number of constituent elements.

Experimental characterization of a PEM fuel cell for marine power generation

This study is focused on the possible application of hydrogen-fed PEM fuel cells on board ships. For this purpose, a test plant including a 100 kW generator suitable for marine application and a power converter including a supercapacitor-based energy storage system has been designed, built and experimentally characterised. The plant design integrates standard industrial components suitable for marine applications that include the technologies with the highest degree of maturity currently available on the market. Fuel Cell generator and power converter have been specifically designed by manufacturers to fit the specific plant needs. The experimental characterisation of the plant has been focused on the evaluation of the efficiency of the single components and of the overall system. Results shows a PEM fuel cell efficiency of 48% (when all auxiliaries are included) and an overall plant efficiency, including power conditioning, of about 45%. From load variation response tests, the fuel cell response time was maximum 2 seconds without supercapacitors and increased up to 20 seconds with supercapacitors connected, reducing the stress on the fuel cell generator. Experimental results confirm that PEM fuel cells, when supported by a suitably sized energy storage system, represent a viable technical solution for zero-emission power generation on board ships.

A Modeling Study of PEM Fuel Cell with Novel Catalyst Monolayers under Low Platinum Loading

Cost is a major barrier to commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Catalyst layers (CLs) contribute to a major portion of PEM fuel cell cost due to the...

Thermal integration of PEM Fuel Cells and metal hydrides storage system for Zero Emission Ultimate Ship (ZEUS)

The ZEUS (Zero Emission Ultimate Ship), developed in the framework of the national research project TecBia conducted by Fincantieri and co-founded by Italian Ministry of Economic Development, is a 25m length vessel characterized by a zero-emissions propulsion system. The on-board power generation is provided by 4 PEM Fuel Cell modules (140 kW power installation) fed by hydrogen stored into 48 Metal Hydride tanks (MH). PEMFC and MH thermal systems are coupled to recover the heat produced by PEMFC and to feed the endothermic dissociation reactions of hydrogen from MHs. This paper provides a Matlab-Simulink model to simulate the dynamic behaviour of the PEMFC power generation system and the thermal coupling with MH racks installed onboard. Three typical operative profiles are simulated to verify the thermal management control system and the impact of transient conditions on the propulsion plant. Furthermore, the effects of the major exogenous parameters are investigated. Results verify that thermal coupling between the two systems is guaranteed; however, an excessive load increase can lead the stacks to operate under non-optimal conditions for significant periods of time. The effect of exogenous parameters has been verified to be negligible and does not significantly affect the control system.

Optimized High Precision Stacking of Fuel Cell Components for Medium to Large Production Volumes

PEM fuel cells are well established in a number of niche markets. However, due to low production volume and manufacturer-specific designs, the assembly has been carried out manually most of the time. With new fields of application being exploited there is a rising demand for production systems. As there is no standardized design or material, production systems are often custom-made, thus being inflexible to design changes or different products. In combination with a volatile demand the need for flexible and scalable systems arises. In this paper special attention is paid onto pick and place operations of the catalyst coated membrane (CCM). Design criteria of a vacuum gripper are derived from the material properties. To meet the further requirements for a high position accuracy in an automated assembly the impact of process parameters onto the repeatability is investigated to identify optimization trends. The requirements and investigations lead to a conceptual assembly system that is able to cover several steps in fuel cell production.

Characterization and experimental comparison of commercial PEMFC stacks for marine applications

PEM Fuel Cells are considered among the most promising technologies for hydrogen utilization in both stationary and automotive applications. The number of FC installations on board ships – alone or in hybrid configuration with batteries – is increasing significantly, although international regulations that drive their installation are still missing. In this scenario, the project TecBia aims to identify a dedicated test protocol and the best commercial PEMFC technology for marine applications, assessing the integration of a 140 kW PEMFC system on the Zero Emission Ultimate Ship (ZEUS) vessel. The system design and technology provider has been chosen after a technical comparison based on a dedicated experimental campaign. The experimental campaign had two goals: (i) analyse the performance of the different PEMFC systems to define the best characteristics for maritime applications; (ii) verify the compliance with naval requirements with reference to current and future standards. The present study shows the resulting test protocol for FC Systems (FCS) for maritime applications, defined starting from the existing international regulations on FCS installations and on naval environment requirements; the results of its application on the commercial system chosen for the installation on ZEUS are reported.