• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers Conference
• /
• 2004.10a
• /
• pp.134-138
• /
• 2004

The discrepancies between theoretical values and measured data of PEFC(Proton Exchange Fuel Cell) is carried out for the machine tool power generation. Rudimental approach of theoretical fuel cell open circuit potential using Gibbs free energy is employed for the examination of PEFC module. The stack temperature, stack voltage and stack current are measured during the operation of PEFC module. It is found that stack voltage and current values show the pronounced discrepancy with the results calculated by Gibbs free energy approach. It is analysed that the discrepancy is due to activation polarization, concentration overvoltage and ohmic overvoltage.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.386-392
• /
• 2013

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell stacks are constructed by stacking several to hundreds of unit cells depending on their power outputs required. Fuel and oxidant are distributed to each cell of a stack through so-called manifolds during its operation. In designing a stack, if the manifold sizes are too small, the fuel and oxidant would be maldistributed among the cells. On the contrary, the volume of the stack would be too large if the manifolds are oversized. In this study, we present a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model with a geometrically simplified flow-field to optimize the size of the manifolds of a stack. The flow-field of the stack was simplified as a straight channel filled with porous media to reduce the number of computational meshes required for CFD simulations. Using the CFD model, we determined the size of the oxidant manifold of a 30 kW-class PEM fuel cell stack that comprises 99 cells. The stack with the optimal manifold size showed a quite uniform distribution of the cell voltages across the entire cells.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2008.05a
• /
• pp.57-60
• /
• 2008

KEPRI has studied planar type SOFC stacks using anode-supported single cells and kW class co-generation systems for residential power generation. A 1kW class SOFC system consisted of a hot box part, a cold BOP part and a water reservoir. A hot box part contains a SOFC stack made up of 48 single cells and ferritic stainless steel interconnectors, a fuel reformer, a catalytic combustor and heat exchangers. Thermal management and insulation system were especially designed for self-sustainable operation. A cold BOP part was composed of blowers, pumps, a water trap and system control units. When a 1kW class SOFC system was operated at $750^{\circ}C$ with hydrogen after pre-treatment process, the stack power was 1.2kW at 30 A and 1.6kW at 50A. Turning off an electric furnace, the SOFC system was operated using hydrogen and city gas without any external heat source. Under self-sustainable operation conditions, the stack power was about 1.3kW with hydrogen and 1.2kW with city gas respectively. The system also recuperated heat of about 1.1kW by making hot water.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.469-475
• /
• 2008

In this paper, control of small PEM(Proton Exchange Membrane) fuel cell stack by a microprocessor is introduced. The water management of fuel cell stack inside, a key technique in fuel cell control, can be achieved by adjusting the required air flow for fuel and cooling, and by purging the excessive water from the stack. It is very important to precisely control the BOS(Balance of Stack) since the stable operation of the fuel cell system mainly depends on it. In this study the fuel efficiency of the system is improved by the control of the system based on the measured air flow and purge cycle during the optimal operation and its effectiveness is proved by the experiments. The operating stability of the system is improved by the developed controller using a microprocessor and it is expected to be widely used for the control of small PEM fuel cell stack.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.229-235
• /
• 2003

A 50W class MCFC stack was operated in order to test a new design of the circular shaped separator. in the new design, the anode gas was supplied into the stack and was exhausted out of the stack after the anode reaction. The exhausted gas was reacted with the cathode gas supplied with excess oxygen in the vessel in which the stack was placed. Then the reacted gas flowed into the cathode side of the stack and was exhausted through the outlet located in the center of the stack. The average voltage of the single cells in the stack was 0.835V under the current density of $150mA/cm^2$, initially, and the degradation rate of the stack voltage was 1.7%/1,000h. High stack voltage with good stability of the present stack was due to the small temperature gradient in the stack. The small temperature gradient as well as the easiness of temperature control was the result of the new configuration of the separator which utilized the heat of the combustion reaction between anode outlet gas and the cathode inlet gas for heating the stack.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2002.07b
• /
• pp.1322-1324
• /
• 2002

For developing a 100 kW MCFC power generation system, Several design parameters for a fuel cell stack and system analysis results by Cycle Tempo, a processing computer soft ware, were described. Approximately 170 cells are required to generate 100 kW at a current density of 125 mA/$cm^2$ with 6000 $cm^2$ cells. An overall heat balance was calculated to predict exit temperature. The 100 kW power is expected only under pressurized operation condition at 3 atm. Recycle of cathode gas by more than 50% is recommended to run the stack at 125 mA/$cm^2$ and 3 atm. Manifolds should be designed based on gas flow rates for the suggested operating condition. The fuel cell power generation system was designed conceptually with several choices of utilization of anode exhaust gas. Also system efficiency was calculated at various type of system and operation conditions.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2001.07b
• /
• pp.1300-1302
• /
• 2001

For developing a 100 kW MCFC power generation system. Several design parameters for a fuel cell stack and system analysis results by Cycle Tempo, a processing computer soft ware, were described. Approximately 170 cells are required to generate 100 kW at a current density of $125mA/cm^2$ with $6000cm^2$ cells. An overall heat balance was calculated to predict exit temperature. The 100 kW power is expected only under pressurized operation condition at 3 atm. Recycle of cathode gas by more than 50% is recommended to run the stack at $125mA/cm^2$ and 3 atm. Manifolds should be designed based on gas flow rates for the suggested operating condition. The fuel cell power generation system was designed conceptually with several choices of utilization of anode exhaust gas. Also system efficiency was calculated at various type of system and operation conditions.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.21-26
• /
• 2007

DMFC(Direct Methanol Fuel Cell) has been considered as an attractive option to produce electric power in many application. In this study, in order to estimate the effects of the methanol concentration, wind velocity and temperature on the performance of DMFC, a physical prototype of DMFC was designed and manufactured, and the stack voltage of DMFC was measured during the operation of DMFC. Expecially, the experimental results showed that a low stack temperature, a low wind velocity and an excess methanol concentration lead to the increase of the time to reach the maximum stack voltage.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
• /
• 2001.06d
• /
• pp.146-151
• /
• 2001

Several design parameters for a 100 kW molten carbonate fuel cell stack was described. Approximately 170 cells are required to generate 100 kW at a current density of $125\;mA/cm^{2}$ with $6000\;cm^{2}$ cells. An overall heat balance was calculated to predict exit temperature. In order to limit the stack temperature in the range of $600-700^{\circ}C$, current load cannot exceed $75\;mA/cm^{2}$ at atmospheric operation. The 100 kW power is expected only under pressurization. Recycle of cathode gas by more than 50% is recommended to run the stack at $125\;mA/cm^{2}$ and 3 atm. Manifolds should be designed based on gas flow rates for the suggested operating condition.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers P
• /
• v.58 no.4
• /
• pp.609-614
• /
• 2009

A fuel-cell power system among various alternative power sources has many advantages such as comparatively independable circumstances, high-efficient, and heat-recyclable, thus it is now able to be up to hundreds MWh-scaled through improving feasibility and longevity of it. During the last few decades, numerous research results has been investigated to expand interest in fuel-cell technology. This study presents pressure distribution on the geometrical manifold structures, which are U-type and Z-type, of a planar-type fuel-cell stack by simulated with computational fluid dynamics(CFD). Then, electrical performance of a 200W fuel-cell stack, which is U-type, was diagnosed after pre-conditioning operation. The stack has electrical characteristics ; 22V, 10A, 220W, and current density $200mA/cm^2$.