Strip Cell Stack Design and Mass Transfer Phenomena in a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Stack

摘要

A type of air-breathing polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack with a strip design structure was investigated. Potential-current curves for this PEMFC show typical mass transfer behavior. An empirical equation was developed to describe the kinetic processes of the stack, as opposed to only a single cell. A series of experimental potential-current and power-current curves including different humidities, temperatures, and stack lengths was extremely well fitted with the equation. A concept of mass transfer impedance is defined in this report. This empirical equation can be used to calculate the mass-transfer impedance quantitatively beyond the experimental points, for example, with decreasing humidity, where the mass-transfer impedance increases considerably.