• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2023

For durability improvement of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) polymer membrane, accelerated durability evaluation methods that can evaluate durability in a short time have been researched and developed. However, the lifespan of fuel cells for large commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses is more than three times that of passenger cars, and the chemical accelerated stress test (AST) time is also longer, reaching 1,500 hours or more. Therefore, in this study, as a method to evaluate the chemical durability of a membrane within a short time, it was examined whether the durability could be predicted by the pristine membrane characteristics. Hydrogen crossover current density (HCCD) and short resistance (SR) were estimated as initial characteristics, and AST time was predicted through the Fenton experiment, which was possible as an out-of-cell experiment for 3 hours. As the HCCD and fluoride ion emission concentration increased, the AST time tended to be linearly shortened, but there was a deviation (R² ≒0.65). When the SR decreased, the AST time showed a linear increase, and the accuracy was high (R² =0.93), so the AST time could be predicted with the initial SR of the membrane.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.281-283
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• 2005

Water management in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs) is one of the most challenging issues. Freeze start-up in the automotive applications is also important research topic in the PEMFC field. Transportation of proton and separation of reactant gases are main roles of polymer electrolyte membranes. It has been known that water in the membrane conducts as a vehicle for the proton transportation. At sub-zero temperature, the frozen water blocks the access of reactant gases to the active sites of electrode as well as occurs the physical destruction of fuel cell structures. In this study, property changes of electrolyte membranes in the freeze conditions $(at\;-25^{\circ}C)$ were investigated. For the various amount of water contained membranes, the property changes, especially for the proton conductivity, were observed after several times of freeze/thaw$(-25\~80^{\circ}C)$ cycle.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.412-414
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• 2009

In recent times, starting up polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells(PEMFC) in sub-zero condition is a great challenge of fuel cell electric vehicle(FCEV). The water produced in a cathode during PEMFCs operate. The water changes into the form of solid/ice in sub-zero temperatures and this makes trouble in PEMFC cells. Voltage of PEMFC drops and cold startup is failed. This paper describes an experimental study on the effect of thermal cycle to degradation of MEA in PEMFC.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.90-96
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• 2020

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, which convert the chemical reaction energy of hydrogen into electric power directly, are a type of eco-friendly power for future vehicles. Due to the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction and costly Pt catalyst in the cathode, the research related to the replacement of Pt-based catalysts has been vitally carried out. In this case, however, the performance is significantly different from each other and a variety of factors have existed. In this review paper, we rearrange and summarize relevant papers published within 5 years approximately. The selection of precursors, synthesis method, and co-catalyst are represented as a core factor, while the necessity of research for the further enhancement of activity may be raised. It can be anticipated to contribute to the replacement of precious metal catalysts in the various fields of study. The final objective of the future research is depicted in detail.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.789-798
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• 2018

The role of empirical equation to predict the performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is important. The activation, ohmic and mass transfer losses were separated in a polarization curve, and the curve fitting according to each region was performed using Kim's model and Hao's model. Changes of each loss were compared according to operation variables of the temperature, pressure, oxygen concentration and membrane thickness. The existing model showed a good fitting convergence, but less fitting accuracy in the separated loss region. A new model using the convergence coefficient was suggested to improve the accuracy of performance prediction of fuel cells of which results were demonstrated.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.83.1-83.1
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• 2010

A Dead-end mode operation is one of the best way to maximize the gas usage rate. But, some components of fuel cell stack like gas diffusion layer(GDL) or membrane can be damaged in dead-end mode operation. In this study, a Large Scale Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) for a dead-end operation has been developed. The stack is composed with 4 cells which has over 400cm2 of active area. Hydrogen is used as a fuel, and oxygen is used as a oxidant. The dead-end operation performance was evaluated by a long-term dead-end mode operation. The fuel cell stack is operated over 1,500 hours in dead-end mode operating fuel cell test station. And the performance change of the fuel cell stack was investigated.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 2022

In the process of long-term use of PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells), chemical degradation of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) occurs due to corrosion of stack elements and contamination of supply gas. In this study, we investigated whether chemically degraded MEA can be recovered by acid washing. The performance was measured and compared in a PEMFC cell after contamination with iron ions and washing with an aqueous sulfuric acid solution. The performance was reduced by about 25% by 0.5 ppm iron ion contamination, and 97.1% performance recovery was possible by washing of 0.15 M sulfuric acid. The membrane resistance was increased due to iron ion contamination of the polymer membrane, and the ionic conductivity was restored by washing the iron ions from the membrane while minimizing the loss of the electrode catalyst by washing with a low-concentration sulfuric acid aqueous solution. The possibility of solving the decrease in durability caused by chemical contamination of PEMFC MEA by the acid washing was confirmed.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.228-235
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• 2021

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are currently being used in various transport applications such as drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, and automobiles. The power required is different according to the type of use, purpose, and the conditions adjusted using a cell stack. The fuel cell stack is compressed to reduce the size and prevent fuel leakage. The unit cells that make up the cell stack are subjected to compression by clamping force, which makes geometrical changes in the porous media and it impacts on cell performance. In this study, finite elements method (FEM) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis for the deformed unit cell considering the effects of clamping force is performed. First, structural analysis using the FEM technique over the deformed gas diffusion layer (GDL) considering compression is carried out, and the resulting porosity changed in the GDL is calculated. The PEMFC model is then verified by a three-dimensional, two-phase fuel cell simulation applying the physical properties and geometry obtained before and after compression. The detailed simulation results showed different concentration distributions of fuel between the original and deformed geometry, resulting in the difference in the distribution of current density is represented at compressed GDL region with low oxygen concentration.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.257-265
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• 2001

Placing a hydrogen conducting, methanol impermeable metallic barrier like palladium (Pd) is a well-known method for preventing methanol crossover through solid polymer electrolyte for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). Applying a bias potential between the anode and the barrier can further develop this concept so that the hydrogen transfer rate is enhanced. Since hydrogen diffuses in Pd as atomic form while it moves through nafion electrolyte as ion, it has to be reduced or oxidized whenever it passes the interface formed by Pd and the electrolyte. We performed experiments to measure the hydrogen transport through the Pd membrane placed in Nafion electrolyte of hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell (PEMFC). Applying a bias potential between the hydrogen electrode of the cell and the Pd membrane facilitated the hydrogen passage through the Pd membrane. The results show that the cell current measured with the Pd membrane placed reached almost 40 % the value measured with the cell without Pd membrane. It was found that the current flown through the bias path is only a few percent of the cell current.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.07b
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• pp.1722-1724
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• 2005

The focus of this paper is to develop a mathematical model for investigating the dynamic performance of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The model in this work is based on physical laws having clear significance in replicating the fuel cell system and can easily be used to set up different operational strategies. Simulation results display the transient behavior of the voltage within each single cell, and also within a number of such single cells combined into a fuel cell stack system. A linear as well as a nonlinear analysis of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system(PEMFC) has been discussed in order to present a complete and comprehensive view of this kind of modeling. Also, a comparison of the two kinds of analysis has been performed. Finally, the various characteristics of the fuel cell system are plotted in order to help us understand its dynamic behavior. Results indicate that there is a considerable amount of error in the modeling process if we use a linear model of the fuel cell. Thus, the nonlinearities present in the fuel cell system should be taken into account in order to obtain a better understanding of the dynamic behavior of the fuel cell system.