Development of active breathing micro PEM fuel cell

• Published in: International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology, 1(2) Vol. 1; no. 2; pp. 101 - 106
• Main Authors: Seo, Young Ho, Kim, Hyung Jin, Jang, Woong Ki, Kim, Byeong Hee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Korean Society for Precision Engineering 01.04.2014; Springer Nature B.V; 한국정밀공학회
• Subjects: Breathing; Diaphragms; Energy Efficiency; Engineering; Flow rates; Flow velocity; Fuel cells; Fuel technology; Industrial and Production Engineering; Lead zirconate titanates; Maximum power density; Noise reduction; Outlet channels; Power consumption; Product development; Proton exchange membrane fuel cells; Sustainable Development; Synthetic jets; Weight reduction; 기계공학; Balance of plant (BOP); Planar PEM fuel cells (PEMFCs); Air breathing; Synthetic jet breather
• ISSN: 2288-6206; 2198-0810
• DOI: 10.1007/s40684-014-0014-3

Air-breathing proton exchange membrane fuel cells (AB-PEMFCs) can reduce the cost, complexity, noise, volume, and weight of fuel cells and can enhance their reliability. However, such cells are still typically characterized by low output power densities. In this study, to overcome the inherent weaknesses of low power density and oxygen concentration without mobility loss, we have adopted a microscale synthetic jet air breather (a crucial balance-of-plant device), which supplies air to the cathode side of the flow field of a planar AB-PEMFC. A synthetic jet air breather consists of a PZT diaphragm actuator, small cylindrical cavity, inlet and outlet channels, and a pump body. The flow rate of the fabricated synthetic jet air breather is more than 400 cc/min at 550 Hz with a power consumption of less than 0.3 W. An AB-PEMFC equipped with a microscale-synthetic jet air breather shows higher performance and stability, obtaining a maximum power density of 188 mW/cm 2 at 400 mA/cm 2 .