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Detecting performance degradation in a dead-ended hydrogen-oxygen proton exchange membrane fuel cell used for an unmanned underwater vehicle

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  • Liu, Yang
  • Zhao, Junjie
  • Tu, Zhengkai

Abstract

Hydrogen-oxygen proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HO-PEMFCs) play a crucial role in the unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) transportation field due to their distinct advantages of zero emission and low infrared radiation intensity. Effective water management is essential for the stable operation and performance output of HO-PEMFC. However, the vital role of increasing gas velocity to mitigate performance issues and catalyst degradation during prolonged fuel cell operation is frequently overlooked. The objective of this study is to systematically enhance both catalyst durability and overall system efficiency in dead-ended HO-PEMFCs by manipulating cathode flow velocities. The research findings demonstrate that a recirculation pump speed of 200 rpm (corresponding to a gas flow rate of approximately 0.4 m/s) can enhance cell performance by 58.39% at a current density of 1200 mA cm−2 compared to the dead-ended mode. With the gradual increase in pump speed, the flow pattern of liquid water at the cathode outlet transitions from film flow to droplet flow. Moreover, a weight coefficient is proposed to characterize the Pt oxidation states. Electrochemical and morphological characterization show that the increased gas flow rate mitigates water accumulation at the fuel cell outlet. In addition, the degradation of the catalyst due to dehydration of the membrane in the reactant gas inlet area is also mitigated by exhaust gas recirculation.

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  • Liu, Yang & Zhao, Junjie & Tu, Zhengkai, 2024. "Detecting performance degradation in a dead-ended hydrogen-oxygen proton exchange membrane fuel cell used for an unmanned underwater vehicle," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:222:y:2024:i:c:s0960148124000156
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2024.119950
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