Analysis of the performance of an open-cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack using simultaneous electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements
posted on 2014-08-27, 11:21authored bySamuel Cruz-Manzo, Rui Chen, Paul S. Greenwood
In this study, an analysis of the performance in a commercial opencathode
polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) stack is conducted
using simultaneous electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)
measurements. The factors that limit the performance of the PEFC
stack were evaluated with EIS measurements and the impedance
model developed in the authors’ previous study. The results
showed that adsorbed intermediate species during the oxygen
reduction reaction (ORR) limit the PEFC stack performance. The
activation overpotential in the stack was dominated by low
electrocatalytic activity from one of the cells. The inhomogeneity
of air flow rate for this particular PEFC stack played an important
role in oxygen transport limitations and ohmic resistance. This
study has demonstrated that simultaneous EIS is a powerful tool
for in-situ diagnosis of a PEFC stack. This EIS understanding has
enabled an assessment of the state of health and performance of the
fuel cell stack.
Funding
The authors thank the Mexican National Council for Science and Technology
(CONACYT) for the sponsorship of the Ph.D. research study of S. Cruz-Manzo (Grant
no. 183195).
History
School
Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering
Department
Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering
Published in
13TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ADVANCED BATTERIES, ACCUMULATORS AND FUEL CELLS (ABAF 2012)
Volume
48
Issue
1
Pages
47 - 58 (12)
Citation
CRUZ-MANZO, S., CHEN, R. and GREENWOOD, P., 2014. Analysis of the performance of an open-cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack using simultaneous electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. ECS Transactions, 48(1), pp.47-58.
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