Characteristics of cold startup in automotive PEMFC

차량용 고분자전해질 연료전지의 냉시동 특성

The startup behaviour of PEM fuel cells at subfreeze zero is one of the most challenging tasks to be solved before PEM fuel cell vehicle is commercialized. Automotive companies are trying to increase cold statup capability of fuel cell. In this study, we found out the design factor of the stack to increase cold startup capability using 4kW stack and then cold startup test was performed at the various shutdown condition and the various current. In order to test the cold startup possibility and capability in vehicle, we installed 80kW stack in the vehicle and this 80kW fuel cell vehicle was housed in an environmental chamber to investigate the characteristics of cold startup and driving. We found that it is possible for fuel cell vehicle with 80kW stack to self-heated cold startup and drive at $-15^{\circ}C$.