• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.101-108
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• 2008

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are promising power generation devices which are ideal for residential and automobile applications, thanks to their fast transient characteristics. However, liquid water produced in PEM fuel cells should be properly managed to enhance the performances and durabilities of the cells. In this study, a visualization experiment was conducted to investigate the flow behavior of water droplets in cathode channels. The visualization experiment was done with four different model flow channels which were made by varying the material (Acrylic and Teflon) and the channel width (1 mm and 2 mm). Acrylic is hydrophilic (contact angle is about $80^{\circ}$) while Teflon is hydrophobic (contact angle is about $120^{\circ}$). A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was also performed to compare the observed and the simulated two-phase water/air flow characteristics in cathode channels. The computational models were made to be consistent with the geometries and surface properties of the model flow channels. Both the experimental and numerical results showed that the Teflon cathode channel with 1 mm width has the best water management performance among four model flow channels considered. A close correlation was found between the experimental visualization results and the numerical CFD simulation results.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.121-125
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• 2013

In this work, we prepared the carbon paper from chopped carbon fibers using a gas diffusion matrix in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells by wet processing. The process of making carbon paper using wet processing is consisted of the three steps involving the dispersion of chopped carbon fibers, the preparation of the carbon fiber web, the impregnating of phenol resin. This work was focused on finding the optimal surfactant to make the carbon paper with 2D orientation of carbon fibers by investigating the dispersion state of carbon fibers in different dispersion solutions. Furthermore, the effect of phenol resin and carbon black contents on properties of electric conductivity was analyzed. As a result, it is confirmed that the carbon fiber was well dispersed when using sodium dodecyl sulfate as a surfactant, and the carbon paper with 8 wt% of phenol and 5 wt% of carbon black contents showed the most excellent electrical property.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.487-490
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• 2011

We used X-ray tomography to carry out an experimental study to visualize the effect of freeze and thaw cycles on the gas diffusion layer (GDL) in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). A PEMFC has freeze and thaw cycles if the fuel cell is operating at a below-freezing ambient temperature. The cycle permanently deforms the fuel-cell capillary structures and reduces the ability of the cell to generate electric power and also reduces its service life. The GDL is the thickest capillary layer in the fuel cell, so it experiences the most deformation. The X-ray tomography facility at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory was used to observe the structural changes in GDLs induced by a freeze and thaw cycle. We discuss the effects of these structural changes on the power production and service life of PEMFCs.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.90.2-90.2
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• 2011

세계 각 국에서는 선진국을 중심으로 기후변화와 치솟는 유가에 대응하기 위하여 다양한 에너지원의 확보를 위해 부단히 노력하고 있다. 특히, 신재생에너지원 중 에너지 지속성이 가장 우수한 연료전지의 경우 1kW급 건물용 연료전지시스템이 도시가스 인프라가 가장 우수한 한국 및 일본을 중심으로 상용화에 가장 근접해 있는 실정이다. 일본의 경우 가정용 연료전지시스템 '에너팜'의 일부 제품이 올해부터 200만엔대로 가격을 내려 보급되어질 예정이고, 아직은 경제성이 떨어지지만 연료전지 조기 상용화를 위해 시스템 가격저감을 통한 기술개발이 한창이다. 또한 700W급 고체산화물형 연료전지시스템을 세계에서 처음 시판 계획을 가지고 있다. 국내의 경우 2009년도부터 시작된 '그린홈 보급확대를 위한 건물용 연료전지 보조기기 가격저감 기술개발'연구를 통해 블로워, 밸브, 유량계 및 펌프 등의 보조기기의 단가를 낮추고자 기술개발에 박차를 가하고 있다. 이에 따른 연료전지 부품 가격저감 기술이 국내 건물용 연료전지 시장보급의 활력소가 되기를 기대한다. 본 연구에서는 건물용 연료전지의 보조기기인 블로워의 가격저감을 위한 연구의 일환으로 블로워의 안전성능 평가를 통한 보조기기의 가격저감 및 안전성을 확보하고자 한다. 1kW급 건물용 연료전지시스템의 여러 블로워 중 도시가스용 연료승압 블로워, 선택산화 공기 블로워, 버너 공기 블로워 및 캐소드 공기 블로워의 안전성능 평가를 수행하였고, 평가결과의 공유를 통하여 국내 블로워 제조사의 설계방향을 제시하고 연료전지시스템의 안전성을 확인하고자 한다. 특히, 내구성, 기밀, 가혹조건시험 및 소음, 진동, 습도, 온도와 같은 내주위환경시험 등의 평가결과 비교를 통하여, 연료전지 부품 인증기준을 재정립하여 연료전지 부품산업의 조기 활성화를 도모하고자 한다.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2011.06a
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• pp.129-129
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• 2011

The limited understanding of the surface properties of $Pt_3Ni$ for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has motivated the study of properties and electronic structures of seven layered $Pt_3Ni$ (001), (110), and (111) surfaces. The first principle method based on density functional theory (DFT) is carried out. It is found that the bulk $Pt_3Ni$ has a ferromagnetic ground state with the ordered fcc type L12 structure, which is in good agreement with other results. Non magnetic Pt has the induced magnetic moment due to the strong hybridization between 3d Ni and 5d Pt. The magnetic moment of Pt and Ni enhanced on the surface of each due to surface effect however the magnetic moment of surface Pt in the Pt-segregated Pt3Ni (111) decreased and the magnetic moment of Ni in Ni rich subsurface increased significantly. The calculated d band centers of Pt explain the possibilities for oxygen absorption and play the important roles in altering the catalytic properties. The spin polarized densities of states are presented in order to understand physical properties of Pt in different surfaces in detail.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2004

For the fabrication of high efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst of oxygen electrode for PEM URFC (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell), which is a promising energy storage and conversion system using hydrogen as the energy medium, several bifunctional electrocatalysts were prepared and tested in a single cell URFC system. The catalysts for oxygen electrode revealed fuel cell performance in the order of Pt black > PtIr > PtRuOx > PtRu ~ PtRuIr > PtIrOx, whereas water electrolysis performance in the order of PtIr ~ PtIrOx > PtRu > PtRuIr > PtRuOx ~ Pt black. Considering both reaction modes PtIr was the most effective elctrocatalyst for oxygen electrode of present PEM URFC system. In addition, the water electrolysis performance was significantly improved when Ir or IrOx was added to Pt black just 1 wt.% without the decrease of fuel cell performance. Based on the catalyst screening and the optimization of catalyst composition and loading, the optimum catalyst electrodes for PEM URFC were $1.0mg/cm^2$ of Pt black as hydrogen electrode and $2.0mg/cm^2$ of PtIr (99:1) as oxygen electrode.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.553-561
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• 2012

Existing energy sources convert chemical energy into mechanical energy, while fuel cell directly generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Therefore, it has a lot of strong points such as high efficiency, zero emission, and etc. In addition, with the development of hydrogen preservation technique, some companies have been researching and releasing portable fuel cell power packs for specific applications like military equipment, automobile, and so on. However, there are some drawbacks to the fuel cell, high cost and slow dynamic response. In order to compensate these weak points, auxiliary energy storages could be applied to the fuel cell system. In this paper, the optimum structure for a 150W portable fuel cell power pack with a battery pack is selected considering the specification of the system, and the design process of main parts is described in detail. Here, main objectives are compact size, simple control, high efficiency, and low cost. Then, an automatic mode change algorithm, which converts the operating mode depending on the states of fuel cell stack, battery pack, and load, is introduced. Finally, performance of the designed prototype using the automatic mode change control is verified through experiments.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.640-646
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• 2012

The effect of Ce promotion over 1wt% $Pt/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalysts on the CO conversion and $CO_2$ selectivity was investigated in preferential CO oxidation (PrOx) to reduce the CO concentration less than 10 ppm in excess $H_2$ stream for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Ce-promoted 1wt% $Pt/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method and the loading amount of Pt was fixed at 1wt%. The content of Ce promoter which has excellent oxygen storage and transfer capability due to the redox property was adjusted from 0 to 1.5wt%. Ce-promoted 1wt% $Pt/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalysts exhibit high CO conversion and $CO_2$ selectivity at low temperatures below $150^{\circ}C$ due to the improvement of reducibility of surface PtOx species compared with the 1wt% $Pt/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst without Ce addition. When Ce content was more than 1wt%, the catalytic activity was decreased at over $160^{\circ}C$ in PrOx because of competitive $H_2$ oxidation. As a result, 0.5wt% Ce is optimal content not only to achieve high catalytic activity and good stability at low temperatures below $150^{\circ}C$ in the presence of $CO_2$ and $H_2O$ but also to minimize the $H_2$ oxidation at high temperatures.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.488-494
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• 2011

Gasket plays an important role on sealing of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack. Stack requires gaskets in each cell to keep the hydrogen and air/oxygen within their respective regions. The failure of the gasket creates the problems of fuel leakage, mixing, damage on parts and can be a direct reason for the degrading the efficiency of fuel cell. The purpose of this paper researches on how mechanical properties of EPDM gasket in PEMFC are changed after long-term operations. The EPDM (ethylenepropylene-diene monomer) gaskets are obtained from the stack after long-term operations. DMA (dynamic mechanical analysis) is conducted to access the change of mechanical properties of the EPDM gasket. SEM/EDS (scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive spectroscopy) was used to show the surface topography and chemical characterization on the sample surface.