STUDY OF A PEM FUEL CELL FUNCTIONING PERFORMANCES USING A TEST STATION

Mihai Culcer, Adrian Enache, Elena Carcadea,
Mircea Raceanu, Mariana Iliescu, Mihai Varlam

National Center for Hydrogen & Fuel Cell – ICSI Rm.Valcea, Romania
Uzinei Street no.4; O.P Râureni; P.O.Box 7, Rm.Vâlcea, Code 240050, Romania; e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ABSTRACT
 
A PEM fuel cell performances (output power and reliability) are strongly influenced by a series of working parameters, as are cell temperature, input fuel and oxidant gases pressure and humidity. In order to enhance the fuel cell performances, the effects of all those parameters on the cell functioning must be assessed. A test stand for PEM fuel cells stacks of max. output power of 1.5 kW have been designed and built in our institute. It allows the data acquisition and control of cells temperatures, fluids pressure, flow and humidity using adequate transducers, by means of a computer, based on Labview™ software. The obtained experimental results were in good agreement with the model.