Comparative studies of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack and single cell

The polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) was investigated comparatively as a single cell and a 30-cell stack. Various types of Nafion membranes, such as Nafion 117, 115, 112 and 105, were tested as electrolyte within the single cell and at different temperatures, among which Nafion 112 gave the optimal result. The 30-cell stack was evaluated at different humidities and temperatures. The potential-current and power-current curves, both for single cell and the stack, were analyzed by computer simulation, whereby the kinetic and mass-transfer parameters were calculated. The long-term performance of the stack and the water production during long-term operation were also measured. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.