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Effect of humidification temperature on air utilization properties of polymer electrolyte fuel cells
Author(s) -
Hariyama Suguru,
Sasou Hidetoshi,
Abe Satoshi,
Nishikawa Hisao,
Sugawara Toshikazu,
Aoki Tsutomu,
Ogami Yasuji
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
electrical engineering in japan
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.136
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1520-6416
pISSN - 0424-7760
DOI - 10.1002/eej.20850
Subject(s) - electrolyte , oxygen , polarization (electrochemistry) , relative humidity , materials science , atmospheric pressure , voltage , humidity , ohmic contact , polymer , internal resistance , chemical engineering , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , electrode , electrical engineering , thermodynamics , chromatography , composite material , meteorology , battery (electricity) , organic chemistry , engineering , power (physics) , physics , layer (electronics)
When the effects of humidification temperature on air utilization properties of PEFCs were investigated: (1) in standard humidification conditions, cell voltage decreased with an increase in air utilization; (2) in low humidification conditions, cell voltage increased with an increase in air utilization; (3) in high humidification and high utilization conditions, cell voltage suddenly dropped with a slight increase in air utilization. The authors proved that based on experimentally obtained ohmic polarization, oxygen gain, and internal resistance free cell voltage during a pure oxygen test, by combining the following results they could provide an explanation for cell voltage behavior in the three cases: (1) calculation of water vapor pressure in the cell and change in activation polarization based on oxygen concentration decrease in the cell; (2) increase in relative humidity in the cell due to increase in air utilization, and consequent increase of concentration polarization; (3) change in the catalyst utilization rate with a change in humidification temperature, and resulting change in properties such as cell voltage. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 166(3): 18– 26, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20850