Method of monitoring CO concentrations in hydrogen feed to a PEM fuel cell

Patent · Tue May 16 04:00:00 EDT 2000

OSTI ID:20050815

Grot, S A; Meltser, M A; Gutowski, S; Neutzler, J K; Borup, R L; Weisbrod, K

The CO concentration in the H{sub 2} feed stream to a PEM fuel cell stack is monitored by measuring current and/or voltage behavior patterns from a PEM-probe communicating with the reformate feed stream. Pattern recognition software may be used to compare the current and voltage patterns from the PEM-probe to current and voltage telltale outputs determined from a reference cell similar to the PEM-probe and operated under controlled conditions over a wide range of CO concentrations in the H{sub 2} fuel stream. The PEM-probe is intermittently purged of any CO build-up on the anode catalyst, e.g., by (1) flushing the anode with air, (2) short circuiting the PEM-probe, or (3) reverse biasing the PEM-probe, to keep the PEM-probe at peak performance levels.

• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-90CH10435
• OSTI ID: 20050815
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
CARBON MONOXIDE
HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS
MONITORING
ON-LINE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS
OPERATION
PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELLS