Abstract
Temperature, voltage and fuel flow distribution all contribute considerably to fuel cell performance. Conventional methods cannot accurately determine parameter changes inside a fuel cell. This investigation developed flexible and multi-functional micro sensors on a 40 μm-thick stainless steel foil substrate by using micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and embedded them in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) to measure the temperature, voltage and flow. Users can monitor and control in situ the temperature, voltage and fuel flow distribution in the cell. Thereby, both fuel cell performance and lifetime can be increased.
Highlights
As the demand for new sources of energy is rapidly increasing, more research on fuel cells is being undertaken
In situ temperature, voltage and fuel flow diagnosis have become important for determining cell performance and lifetime
Where Rt represents the resistance at the measurement temperature; Ri is the resistance at a reference temperature, and T is the sensitivity (1/ C) [8]
Summary
As the demand for new sources of energy is rapidly increasing, more research on fuel cells is being undertaken. To avoid the use of sensors that occupy too large an area of the reactant, in this investigation micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) that integrate temperature, voltage and flow sensors are used to reduce the proton insulating area and stainless steel (40 μm thick) is used as a flexible substrate. The volume of these micro sensors is sufficiently small that they can be placed anywhere between the MEA and the flow channel and no support frame is required. Micro sensors in a fuel cell have the advantages of multi-functionality, high accuracy, high linearity, high sensitivity, extreme flexibility, mass producibility and a short response time
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