Abstract
PEMFC stack power output is needed to be around 100 kW to meet the requirements of automotive application and scaling-up the active area of the stack cells will allow a higher power. In the case of scaling-up the active area of cells, it is difficult to obtain uniform in-plane internal conditions such as temperature, relative humidity and stoichiometry of the feed gas. These ununiformity with the location in the cell would affect both the performance and durability of the stack, so it is important to understand phenomena in the cell for improving them. In this study, the current density, electrochemical resistance and performance distribution measurement was performed to understand the ununiformity in a single cell using in-situ method; (1) Current Density Distribution (CDD) Device and (2) Segmented Cell Fixture. The influence of location of feed gas on the performance of a single cell was experimentally measured and discussed by using a segmented single cell which was composed of 8 compartments. The correlation between the location and performance in a single cell was discussed by these two tools and it was extended between the local characterization and the durability in a MEA by comparing the used cell with a fresh one. It was also studied in terms of electrochemistry by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy.
