Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell operating in stoichiometric regime

Abstract

In this work, we report the existence of a stoichiometric regime where the performances of operating polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are entirely governed by the mass transport in the cathode channels. An analytical model of the fuel cell stoichiometric regime is derived and evidenced experimentally: from the cell spectral signature at low frequency based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and from the current density distribution measured using a segmented current collector. The existence of such regime provides a simple way to characterize, model and predict PEM fuel cell performances.