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Performance and endurance of a PEMFC operated with synthetic reformate fuel feed

Abstract

Widespread implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) powerplants for stationary and vehicular applications will be dependent in the near future on using readily available hydrocarbon fuels as the source of the hydrogen fuel. Methane and propane are ideal fuels for stationary applications, while methanol, gasoline, and diesel fuel are better suited for vehicular applications. Various means of fuel processing are possible to produce a gaseous fuel containing H{sub 2}, CO{sub 2} and CO. CO is a known electrocatalyst poison and must be reduced to low (10`s) ppm levels and CO{sub 2} is said to cause additional polarization effects. Even with no CO in the feed gas a H{sub 2}/CO{sub 2}/H{sub 2}O gas mixture will form some CO. Therefore, as a first step of developing a PEMFC that can operate for thousands of hours using a reformed fuel, we used an anode gas feed of 80% H{sub 2} and 20% CO{sub 2} to simulate the reforming of CH{sub 4}. To investigate the effect of reformate on cell performance and endurance, a single cell with an active area of 58 cm{sup 2} was assembled with a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) furnished by Texas A and M University using IGT`s internally  More>>
Authors:
Sishtla, C; Koncar, G; Platon, R; [1]  Gamburzev, S; Appleby, A J; [2]  Velev, O A [3] 
  1. Institute of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL (United States)
  2. Texas Engineering Experimental Station, Texas A and M Univ. System, College Station, TX (United States). Center for Electrochemical Systems and Hydrogen Research
  3. AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Mar 15, 1998
Product Type:
Journal Article
Report Number:
CONF-9709197-
Reference Number:
SCA: 300502; PA: CHF-98:0GC306; EDB-98:082640; SN: 98001987651
Resource Relation:
Journal Name: Journal of Power Sources; Journal Volume: 71; Journal Issue: 1-2; Conference: 5. Grove fuel cell symposium, London (United Kingdom), 22-25 Sep 1997; Other Information: PBD: 15 Mar 1998
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; PERFORMANCE; FUEL CELLS; MEMBRANES; POLYMERS; CURRENT DENSITY; HYDROGEN; CARBON DIOXIDE; TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE; CONCENTRATION RATIO; POLARIZATION
OSTI ID:
631394
Country of Origin:
Switzerland
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Journal ID: JPSODZ; ISSN 0378-7753; TRN: CH98GC306
Submitting Site:
CHF
Size:
pp. 249-255
Announcement Date:
Aug 26, 1998

Citation Formats

Sishtla, C, Koncar, G, Platon, R, Gamburzev, S, Appleby, A J, and Velev, O A. Performance and endurance of a PEMFC operated with synthetic reformate fuel feed. Switzerland: N. p., 1998. Web. doi:10.1016/S0378-7753(97)02719-5.
Sishtla, C, Koncar, G, Platon, R, Gamburzev, S, Appleby, A J, & Velev, O A. Performance and endurance of a PEMFC operated with synthetic reformate fuel feed. Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-7753(97)02719-5
Sishtla, C, Koncar, G, Platon, R, Gamburzev, S, Appleby, A J, and Velev, O A. 1998. "Performance and endurance of a PEMFC operated with synthetic reformate fuel feed." Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-7753(97)02719-5.
@misc{etde_631394,
title = {Performance and endurance of a PEMFC operated with synthetic reformate fuel feed}
author = {Sishtla, C, Koncar, G, Platon, R, Gamburzev, S, Appleby, A J, and Velev, O A}
abstractNote = {Widespread implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) powerplants for stationary and vehicular applications will be dependent in the near future on using readily available hydrocarbon fuels as the source of the hydrogen fuel. Methane and propane are ideal fuels for stationary applications, while methanol, gasoline, and diesel fuel are better suited for vehicular applications. Various means of fuel processing are possible to produce a gaseous fuel containing H{sub 2}, CO{sub 2} and CO. CO is a known electrocatalyst poison and must be reduced to low (10`s) ppm levels and CO{sub 2} is said to cause additional polarization effects. Even with no CO in the feed gas a H{sub 2}/CO{sub 2}/H{sub 2}O gas mixture will form some CO. Therefore, as a first step of developing a PEMFC that can operate for thousands of hours using a reformed fuel, we used an anode gas feed of 80% H{sub 2} and 20% CO{sub 2} to simulate the reforming of CH{sub 4}. To investigate the effect of reformate on cell performance and endurance, a single cell with an active area of 58 cm{sup 2} was assembled with a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) furnished by Texas A and M University using IGT`s internally manifolded heat exchange (IMHEX{sup TM}) design configuration. The MEA consisted of a Nafion 112 membrane with anode and cathode Pt catalyst loadings of 0.26 and 1.46 mg/cm{sup 2}, respectively. The cell was set to operate on a synthetic reformate - air at 60 C and 1 atm and demonstrated over 5000 h of endurance with a decay rate of less than 1%/1000 h of operation. The cell also underwent four successful thermal cycles with no appreciable loss in performance. The stable performance is attributed to a combination of the IGT IMHEX plate design with its inherent uniform gas flow distribution across the entire active area and MEA quality. The effects of temperature, gas composition, fuel utilization (stoics) and thermal cycle on cell performance are described. (orig.)}
doi = {10.1016/S0378-7753(97)02719-5}
journal = []
issue = {1-2}
volume = {71}
journal type = {AC}
place = {Switzerland}
year = {1998}
month = {Mar}
}