Session: 09-01-04: Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion Systems IV

Paper Number: 166996

Design and Testing of a Fuel Cell Fixture for High Temperature PEMs 

The high temperature (HT) proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is gaining attention due to its faster reaction kinetics, reduced need for active heat and water management, and reduced sensitivity of the catalyst to carbon monoxide poisoning. Typically, HT-PEM fuel cells are operated at 120 – 200 °C, but higher temperatures may offer increased benefits. However, no PEM fuel cell fixture has been developed specifically for operation over ~200 °C. As such, this study presents the design of a fuel cell fixture capable of operating up to 290 ºC, with components that were selected based this operating temperature plus a safety margin to ensure its reliable operation at this cell operating temperature. The design considered various materials for the fuel cell fixture components such as flow fields, gas seals, and electrical insulators. Additionally, overall design was developed to allow for manufacturing at the prototype level and to electrically isolate the various components to make it easier to select the component materials. The design was fabricated, and shake-down experiments were conducted to ensure safe operation up to 290 ºC. It was then used to conduct a set of polarization experiments up to the maximum temperature, with an anode and cathode pressure of 2 bar and a fuel-air stoichiometry of 1.5:2.5, to investigate the design’s performance. A lab-made membrane electrode assembly (MEA) that can withstand this temperature was used for these experiments. Additionally, three different flow fields made of 317L stainless steel were fabricated for the fuel cell fixture: a 4-channel serpentine, a hybrid flow field (combined parallel serpentine design), and a dual-triangle sandwich flow field. The channel, rib, and depth of all flow field pattern were 1 mm each. Other dimensions were maintained consistent for all flow field designs. To evaluate flow fields’ performance, a commercially-available pyridine polymer-based TPS (MEA), purchased from Advent, was used to conduct experiments at different operating conditions (cell temperature, anode and cathode pressure, and fuel-air stoichiometry) and to a maximum temperature of 200 ⁰C. Results show that the designed fuel cell fixture can operate at cell temperatures up to it max design temperature without any component  breakdown or failure. This experiment without system failure indicates that the newly designed fuel cell fixture is suitable for high temperature operation. From the flow field study, the 4-channel serpentine design yields the highest cell potentials and power outputs among all designs, while the dual-triangle sandwich flow field exhibits the lowest cell potentials and power outputs. The hybrid flow field design ranks second in terms of cell potentials and power outputs. Overall, the new fuel cell fixture and the flow fields make a significant contribution to the advancement of HT-PEM fuel cell.

Presenting Author: Prantik Roy Chowdhury North Dakota State University

Presenting Author Biography: Prantik Roy Chowdhury completed his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from North Dakota State University (NDSU) and his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Northern Illinois University (NIU). Previously, he completed his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Bangladesh. He has experience working in both public and private companies in Bangladesh. Currently, he is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he teaches and conducts research.

Authors:

Prantik Roy Chowdhury North Dakota State University
Adam C. Gladen North Dakota State University