*Correspondence: Peiwen Li , Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, The University of Arizona, 1130 North Mountain Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA e-mail: [email protected] In this study, a significant number of experimental tests to proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells were conducted to investigate the effect of gas flow fields on fuel cell performance. Graphite plates w...

The recent expansion in proton exchange membrane (PEM) research has been commensurate with the growth of PEM fuel cell research, wherein sulfonated polyphenylenes have emerged as leading material candidates for fluorine-free, fully hydrocarbon PEMs.

New proton exchange membrane (PEM) materials with high proton conductivities at elevated temperatures (ca. > 150 °C) offer the promise of improving PEM fuel cell operation. Higher operating temperatures would provide several benefits including: (i) improved resistance to carbon monoxide poisoning of the platinum (Pt) electrocatalyst at the anode, (ii) reduced need for feed-stream heat and humid...

This paper describes a methodology for design and optimization of a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The focus of this paper is the optimization of the fuel cell propulsion system and hydrogen storage system for a baseline aircraft. Physics-based models, and experimentally-derived sub-system performance data are used to characterize the performance of ...

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are highly efficient energy converters and provide electrical energy, cathode exhaust gas with low oxygen content, water and heat. Recently, fuel cells have been investigated for the use on aircraft where they have the potential of replacing the auxiliary power units (APU) that are currently used for generating electrical power during ground operati...

A novel method for calculation of PEM fuel cell cathode impedance from charge and mass conservation equations is developed. The catalyst layer separated into N sub–layers. Assuming that the steady–state variables along sub–layer are constant, linearized Fourier–transformed problem overpotential oxygen concentration perturbations solved analytically on a single sub–layer. solution leads to recur...

The polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell system is considered to be an ideal alternative for the internal combustion engine, especially when used on a city bus. Hybrid buses with fuel cell systems and energy storage systems are now undergoing transit service demonstrations worldwide. A hybrid PEM fuel cell city bus with a hierarchical control system is studied in this paper. Firstly, th...

Particle image velocimetry was used to measure 2D velocity fields in representative regions of interest within flow channels of interdigitated and single-serpentine proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell models. The model dimensions, gas diffusion layer (GDL) permeability, working fluid, and flow rates were selected to be geometrically and dynamically similar to the cathode-side airflow in a ...

This review summarizes the current status, operating principles, and recent advances in high-temperature polymer electrolyte membranes (HT-PEMs), with a particular focus on developments, technical challenges, commercial prospects of HT-PEM fuel cells. A detailed most research activities has been covered by this work, major state-of-the-art concepts describing proton conductivity degradation mec...