Passive water management at the cathode of a planar air-breathing proton exchange membrane fuel cell

• Published in: Journal of power sources Vol. 195; no. 10; pp. 3201 - 3206
• Main Authors: Fabian, T., O’Hayre, R., Litster, S., Prinz, F.B., Santiago, J.G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.05.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cathode flooding; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electrochemical conversion: primary and secondary batteries, fuel cells; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells; Passive air-breathing fuel cell; PEM fuel cells; Water management; Wicking media; British Isles, Scotland, Highland, Caithness, Wick; Passive air-breathing fuel cell; Cathode flooding; Wicking media; Water management; PEM fuel cells; Cathode; Flooding; Proton exchange membrane fuel cells; Aerobic technology; Planar technology
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.12.030

Water management is a significant challenge in portable polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells and particularly in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells with air-breathing cathodes. Liquid water condensation and accumulation at the cathode surface is unavoidable in a passive design operated over a wide range of ambient and load conditions. Excessive flooding or dry out of the open cathode can lead to a dramatic reduction of fuel cell power. We report a water management design based on a hydrophilic and electrically conductive wick. A prototype air-breathing fuel cell with the proposed water management design successfully operated under severe flooding conditions, ambient temperature 10 °C and relative humidity of 80%, for up to 6 h with no observable cathode flooding or loss of performance.