Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack performance

Rajalashmi N, Jayanth T T, Dhathathreyan K S (2003), Effect of carbon dioxide and ammonia on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack performance , Fuel Cells, 3, 177-180. 

Gerteisen D, Sadeler C (2010) Stability and performance improvement of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack by laser perforation of gas diffusion layers. J Power Sources 195 5252-5257... 

Rajalakshmi, N., T.T.Jayanth, and K.S.Dhathathreyan. 2004. Effect of Carbon Dioxide and Ammonia on Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Euel Cell Stack Performance. Fuel Cells 3(4) 177-180. 

Besides a gasket failure resulting in leakage, inadequate sealing material can lower the fuel cell performance in various other ways. To understand the impact of the sealing to the cell/stack performance the required profile of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) sealing has to be depicted in more detail. Therefore,... 

Jiang, R., andChu, D. (2001) Stack design and performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, J. Power Sources, 93, 25-31... 

Stack Components In collaboration with partners, research and develop technologies to overcome the most critical technical hurdles for polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack components for both stationary and transportation applications. Critical technical hurdles include cost, durability, efficiency, and overall performance of components such as the proton exchange membranes, oxygen reduction electrodes, advanced catalysts, bipolar plates, etc. 

There has been an accelerated interest in polymer electrolyte fuel cells within the last few years, which has led to improvements in both cost and performance. Development has reached the point where motive power applications appear achievable at an acceptable cost for commercial markets. Noticeable accomplishments in the technology, which have been published, have been made at Ballard Power Systems. PEFC operation at ambient pressure has been validated for over 25,000 hours with a six-cell stack without forced air flow, humidification, or active cooling (17). Complete fuel cell systems have been demonstrated for a number of transportation applications including public transit buses and passenger automobiles. Recent development has focused on cost reduction and high volume manufacture for the catalyst, membranes, and bipolar plates. 

The proton conductive polymer electrolyte used to separate the anode and cathode compartments of fuel cells. The membrane replaces the liquid electrolytes used in some fuel cells. The voltage produced by a fuel ceU stack at a defined current density. A performance or polarization curve refers to a plot of the cell potential (V) versus current density (1) under specified conditions of pressure, temperature, humidity, and reactant stoichiometry. 

The preparation complexity of perfluorosulfonated membrane and the high cost have restricted PEMFC from commercialization. Many researchers are dedicated to the development of nonflnorinated PEM. The American company Dais has developed styrene/ethylene-bntylene/styrene triblock polymer [51]. This membrane is especially snitable for small power PEMFC working at room temperature. The lifetime of the membrane is up to 4000 h. Baglio did some experiments to test the performance comparison of portable direct methanol fuel cell mini-stacks between a low-cost nonfluorinated polymer electrolyte and Nafion membrane. He found that at room temperature, a single-cell nonfluorinated membrane can achieve maximum power density of about 18 mW/cm. As a comparison, the value was 31 mW/cm for Nafion 117 membrane. Despite the lower performance, the nonfluorinated membrane showed good characteristics for application in portable DMFCs especially regarded to the perspectives of significant cost reduction [52]. 

Baglio, V., Stassi, A., Modica, E., Antonucci, V., Arico, A.S., Caracino, R, BaUabio, O., Colombo, M., and Kopnin, E. Performance comparison of portable direct methanol fuel cell mini-stacks based on a low-cost fluoiine-free polymer electrolyte and Nafion membrane. Electrochimica Acta, 55(20), 6022-6027, 2010. 

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