Transient behavior of proton exchange membrane fuel cells over a cobalt–phosphorous/nickel foam catalyst with sodium borohydride

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 41; no. 1; pp. 524 - 533
• Main Authors: Gang, Byeong Gyu, Jung, Woosuk, Kwon, Sejin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 05.01.2016
• Subjects: Borohydrides; Byproduct removal; Byproducts; Catalysts; Cobalt–phosphorous/nickel foam catalyst; Exchange; Foams; Nickel; Proton exchange membrane fuel cells; Sodium; Sodium borohydride; Start/restart proton exchange membrane fuel cell system; Start/restart proton exchange membrane fuel cell system; Byproduct removal; Cobalt–phosphorous/nickel foam catalyst; Sodium borohydride
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2015.11.064

In this research, a fuel cell system is operated for 30 min and then stopped for 30 min, followed by re-operation for another 30 min to examine its restart characteristics. In this way, potential hybrid power sources, such as solar cells, can be utilized during the inoperational mode of fuel cell systems. However, such operation shows that the concentration of sodium hydroxide in sodium borohydride solutions and the durability of Co–P/Ni foam catalysts play important roles in restarting the proton exchange membrane fuel cell after the 30-min break. Thus, this article describes the catalytic hydrolysis performance of NaBH4 solutions and the operation of PEM fuel cells to characterize the discontinuous mode of fuel cell systems. Moreover, the byproduct is removed from the byproduct storage while operating the fuel cell system, reducing the total system's weight. •Start and restart of a fuel cell system were evaluated with Co–P/Ni foam catalysts.•The effect of sodium hydroxide on hydrogen generation was validated.•The byproduct storage was fabricated to separate hydrogen gas from liquid solutions.•The removal of byproduct was tested during the hydrolysis of NaBH4.