EFFECT OF FUEL IMPURITIES ON FUEL CELL PERFORMANCE AND DURABILITY
A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device that produces electricity during the combination of hydrogen and oxygen to produce water. Proton exchange membranes fuel cells are favored for portable applications as well as stationary ones due to their high power density, low operating temperature, and low corrosion of components. In real life operation, the use of pure fuel and oxidant gases results in an impractical system. A more realistic and cost efficient approach is the use of air as an oxidant gas and hydrogen from hydrogen carriers (i.e., ammonia, hydrocarbons, hydrides). However, trace impurities arising from different hydrogen sources and production increases the degradation of the fuel cell. These impurities include carbon monoxide, ammonia, sulfur, hydrocarbons, and halogen compounds. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has set maximum limits for trace impurities in the hydrogen stream; however fuel cell data is needed to validate the assumption that at those levels the impurities will cause no degradation. This report summarizes the effect of selected contaminants tested at SRNL at ISO levels. Runs at ISO proposed concentration levels show that model hydrocarbon compound such as tetrahydrofuran can cause serious degradation. However, the degradation is only temporary as when the impurity is removed from the hydrogen stream the performance completely recovers. Other molecules at the ISO concentration levels such as ammonia don't show effects on the fuel cell performance. On the other hand carbon monoxide and perchloroethylene shows major degradation and the system can only be recovered by following recovery procedures.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC09-08SR22470
- OSTI ID:
- 990340
- Report Number(s):
- SRNL-STI-2010-00596; TRN: US201020%%527
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
EFFECTS OF FUEL IMPURITIES ON PEM FUEL CELL PERFORMANCE.
[98e]-Catalytic reforming of gasoline and diesel fuel
Related Subjects
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
AMMONIA
CARBON MONOXIDE
CORROSION
ELECTRICITY
ELECTROCHEMICAL ENERGY CONVERSION
FUEL CELLS
GASES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDRIDES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
IMPURITIES
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
MEMBRANES
OXIDIZERS
OXYGEN
POWER DENSITY
PROTONS
STANDARDIZATION
SULFUR
TETRAHYDROFURAN