Effects of mechanical compression on the performance of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells and analysis through in-situ characterisation techniques - A review

El Mahdi Khetabi; Khadidja Bouziane; Nada Zamel; Xavier Francois; Yann Meyer; Denis Candusso

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2019.03.071

Effects of mechanical compression on the performance of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells and analysis through in-situ characterisation techniques - A review

El Mahdi Khetabi ^{1, 2} Khadidja Bouziane ^{3, 2} Nada Zamel ⁴ Xavier Francois ⁵ Yann Meyer ^{5, 2} Denis Candusso ^{6, 1}

1 SATIE - Systèmes et Applications des Technologies de l'Information et de l'Energie

2 Roberval - Roberval

3 SATIE-TEMA - Technologies pour une Electro-Mobilité Avancée

CSEE - Composants et Systèmes pour l'Energie Electrique

4 Fraunhofer ISE - Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE

5 UTBM - Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbeliard

6 IFSTTAR/COSYS/LTN - Laboratoire des Technologies Nouvelles

Abstract : One of the factors that affect the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) performance is the mechanical compression inside the stack. Although this compression plays an important role to ensure efficient gas sealing along with optimised electrical and thermal conductivities during PEFCs operation, excessive mechanical pressure may worsen the fuel cell performance through reducing the porosity and transport ability of PEFC components. In the last few years, intensive research studies have focused on the gas diffusion layers (GDLs) due to the strong relation of their compressibility with the performance of the PEFCs. A few review papers investigating the compression effect on individual fuel cell components have already been published. However, the evaluation of this effect on an operating PEFC has rarely been reviewed. This paper covers a comprehensive overview of the studies that have focused on the relationship between mechanical compression and the observed performance of a PEFC operating in real life conditions (in-situ). In this study, the effects of GDL properties with respect to the applied mechanical compression and the operating conditions are investigated. Much more work in literature has focused on GDL properties. Thus, an extended discussion is dedicated to this cell element in this paper.

Keywords : PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION IN SITU CHARACTERISATION TECHNIQUE ASSEMBLY PRESSURE GAS DIFFUSION LAYER OPTIMAL CLAMPING PRESSURE POLYMER ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELL - PEFC

Document type :

Journal articles

Domain :

Engineering Sciences [physics] / Electric power

Engineering Sciences [physics] / Mechanics [physics.med-ph]

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https://hal.utc.fr/hal-02083530
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Submitted on : Friday, April 12, 2019 - 2:35:02 PM
Last modification on : Friday, October 25, 2019 - 2:38:10 PM

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Effects of mechanical compression on the performance of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells and analysis through in-situ characterisation techniques - A review

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