• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.120-130
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• 2023

PEMFC has high potential for future development due to its high energy density, eco-friendliness, and high energy efficiency. When it becomes small, light and flexible, it can be competitive as an energy source for portable devices or flexible electronic devices. However, the use of hard and heavy materials for structural rigidity and uniform contact pressure transmission has become an obstacle to reducing the weight and flexibility of PEMFCs. This review intends to provide an example of the application of a new structure and material for lightweight and flexibility. As a lightweight PEMFC, a tubular design is presented and structural advantages through numerical modeling are explained. Manufacturing methods to realize the structural advantages and possibilities of tubular PEMFCs are discussed. In addition, the materials and manufacturing processes used to fabricate lightweight and flexible PEMFCs are described and factors affecting performance are analyzed. Strategies and structural improvements of light and flexible movements are discussed according to the component parts.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.1031-1037
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• 2010

This paper proposed lightweight aluminum bipolar plates as an alternative for conventional graphite bipolar plates in fuel cell systems used as a power source for small reconnaissance UAVs. Since bipolar plates occupy more than 80% of the total weight of the fuel cell system, lightweight aluminum bipolar plates can improve the overall payload and flight time of the fuel cell UAV. The aluminum and graphite bipolar plates were fabricated to compare the performance of each of them. A 15% higher performance per weight was obtained from aluminum bipolar plates than the graphite bipolar plates. Also, the performance of a single cell using aluminum bipolar plates was evaluated under various operating conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.48-56
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• 2009

This paper presents the power conversion system for TIG-welder using the fuel cell stack Generally, power supply for TIG-welder uses the front-ended diode bridge rectifier by common AC power source. In this case, power supply of TIG-welder increases in volume because of using bulky capacitor and diode-rectifier. Also, input current includes ripple and harmonics. Moreover, TIG-welder will be demand the power supply with lightweight and easy movement in the areas like as the islands and mountainous areas or the special environment are not use common AC power source. Thus, input power of the power conversion system for TIG-welder is used PEMFC(Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell), and the power conversion system is comprised of full-bridge converter with function of boost converter and inverter welding source, in this paper. The proposed power conversion system which is power supply for TIG-welder was verified by computer simulations and experiments.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.233-239
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• 2013

A 100 W fuel cell system using chemical storage method has been applied for a propulsion system of the SUAV(Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). A fuel cell and battery have been combined for both the small/light hydrogen generation control system and the hybrid power supply system. A small hydrogen generation device was implemented to utilize NaBH4 aqueous solution and dead-end type PEMFC system, which were evaluated on the ground and by the flight tests. The system pressurized at a 45kpa stably operates and get higher fuel efficiency. The pressure inside of the hydrogen generation control system was maintained at between 45 kPa and 55 kPa. The 100W fuel cell system satisfies the required weight and power consumption rate as well as the propulsion system, and the fuel cell system performance was demonstrated through flight test.