Characterization of Nitrogen Gas Crossover in PEM Fuel Cell Stacks

고분자 연료전지 스택에서 질소 크로스오버 특성에 관한 연구

Crossover of nitrogen from cathode to anode is inevitable in typical membranes used in PEM fuel cells. This crossovered nitrogen accumulates in anode recirculation system and excessive buildup of nitrogen in the recirculating anode gas lowers the hydrogen concentration and finally affects the performance of fuel cell stacks. In this study, characterization of nitrogen gas crossover was investigated in PEM fuel cell stacks. The mass spectroscopy (MS) has been applied to measure the amount of the crossovered nitrogen at the exit of anode. Results show that anode and cathode stoichiometric number ($SR_c$) have a big effect of nitrogen crossover.