Water Balance Measurements for a Single Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Using a Hot Wire Anemometer

Abstract

Recently, our group has developed a novel technique to measure the water balance in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with a hot wire anemometer. This device yields a high-frequency voltage signal that can be converted into the fuel cell water balance, and thus producing almost real time water balance data that can complete the usual experimental data set consisting of cell voltage, current, and high frequency resistance. In this work, we are presenting water balance data of a single 50 cm2 fuel cell with pre-humidified anode and cathode streams. The results show a clear tendency of anode dehydration at elevated current densities which appears to be limiting the current density that can be drawn from the cell.