Ice/frost formation in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) operating under sub-zero temperatures can lead to its shutdown during start up. Isothermal potentiostatic and galvanostatic tests were performed on 220 cm2 single cells under a wide range of operating conditions in order to investigate the “cold start” behaviour. Different parameters have been investigated: the initial water contained in the membrane, the operating voltage, the cell temperature and current. An optimal wetting level of the fuel cell (FC) core for which cumulated heat generated by the electrochemical reaction is maximal, has been observed. Water management analysis from the membrane coupled with cell resistance measurement allowed to formulating a phenomenological interpretation of the overall performance evolution of the FC. FC starving is not only due to ice formation in the cathode layer pores, thus hindering oxygen transport. It is also due to ice formation in active reaction sites increasing the electrical resistance of the cell. Both factors dramatically reduce FC performance under load. The relative balance of each effect has been assessed.
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ASME 2008 6th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology
June 16–18, 2008
Denver, Colorado, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Nanotechnology Institute
ISBN:
0-7918-4318-1
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Experimental Investigations on a PEMFC at Sub-Freezing Temperatures
E. Pinton,
E. Pinton
Commissariat a` l’Energie Atomique, Grenoble, France
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Y. Fourneron,
Y. Fourneron
Commissariat a` l’Energie Atomique, Grenoble, France
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S. Rosini,
S. Rosini
Commissariat a` l’Energie Atomique, Grenoble, France
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L. Antoni
L. Antoni
Commissariat a` l’Energie Atomique, Grenoble, France
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E. Pinton
Commissariat a` l’Energie Atomique, Grenoble, France
Y. Fourneron
Commissariat a` l’Energie Atomique, Grenoble, France
S. Rosini
Commissariat a` l’Energie Atomique, Grenoble, France
L. Antoni
Commissariat a` l’Energie Atomique, Grenoble, France
Paper No:
FuelCell2008-65023, pp. 743-750; 8 pages
Published Online:
June 22, 2009
Citation
Pinton, E, Fourneron, Y, Rosini, S, & Antoni, L. "Experimental Investigations on a PEMFC at Sub-Freezing Temperatures." Proceedings of the ASME 2008 6th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology. ASME 2008 6th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology. Denver, Colorado, USA. June 16–18, 2008. pp. 743-750. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/FuelCell2008-65023
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