Voltammetric Methods for Hydrogen Crossover Diagnosis in a PEMFC Stack1. Issue 2 (30th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Génevé, T.; Turpin, C.; Régnier, J.; Rallières, O.; Verdu, O.; Rakotondrainibe, A.; Lombard, K.
• Other Names: Turpin Christophe guestEditor.; Yousfi‐Steiner Nadia guestEditor.; Bultel Yann guestEditor.; Hissel Daniel guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Fuel cells. Volume 17:Issue 2(2017:Apr.)
• Page Start: 210
• Page End: 216
• Publication Date: 2016-08-30
• Subjects: Crossover -- Diagnosis -- PEM Fuel Cell -- Stack -- Voltammetry; Fuel cells -- Periodicals; 621.312429
• DOI: 10.1002/fuce.201600073
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1615-6846

Abstract

Abstract: Fuel cell diagnosis is a key point for a large scale development of this technology. Gas crossover through the membrane is one of the most crucial faults that have to be detected. Several methods of crossover estimation exist, but this work focuses on voltammetry. The main purpose is to provide a method of stack diagnosis that can be deployed in an industrial context for in situ measurements. The method has to detect accurately which cell is damaged, and how high the gas crossover is. Two voltammetric methods are compared on different stacks. First, cyclic voltammetry is applied to every cell of the stack (cell CV), cell after cell. Then potential is applied to the entire stack with an equivalent sweep rate (stack cyclic voltammetry – stack CV). Results show that with stack CV, one cannot strictly access the crossover current of a cell, as cell voltages are indeed not homogeneous along the stack and the current is common for all cells. However, an empirical law that links cell voltages during a stack CV and their crossover currents can be built. It can be used as an abacus to diagnose the crossover of each individual cell with a single stack CV.