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Reactors, Kinetics, and Catalysis
Oxygen mass transport limitations at the cathode of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells
Article first published online: 3 DEC 2010
DOI: 10.1002/aic.12455
Copyright © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
Additional Information
How to Cite
Benziger, J., Kimball, E., Mejia-Ariza, R. and Kevrekidis, I. (2011), Oxygen mass transport limitations at the cathode of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. AIChE J., 57: 2505–2517. doi: 10.1002/aic.12455
Publication History
- Issue published online: 3 AUG 2011
- Article first published online: 3 DEC 2010
- Accepted manuscript online: 7 OCT 2010 12:52PM EST
- Manuscript Revised: 27 SEP 2010
- Manuscript Received: 6 APR 2010
Funded by
- NSF. Grant Number: CTS 0754715
- Princeton University Program in Plasma Science and Technology
- U.S. Department of Energy. Grant Number: DE-AC02-76-CHO-3073
- Princeton Institute for the Science and Engineering of Materials
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- PEM fuel cell;
- mass transport limited current;
- gas diffusion layer
Abstract
Oxygen transport across the cathode gas diffusion layer (GDL) in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells was examined by varying the O2/N2 ratio and by varying the area of the GDL extending laterally from the gas flow channel under the bipolar plate (under the land). As the cathode is depleted of oxygen, the current density becomes limited by oxygen transport across the GDL. Oxygen depletion from O2/N2 mixtures limits catalyst utilization, especially under the land.The local current density with air fed PEM fuel cells falls to practically zero at lateral distances under the land more than 3 times the GDL thickness; on the other hand, catalyst utilization was not limited when the fuel cell cathode was fed with 100% oxygen. The ratio of GDL thickness to the extent of the land is thus critical to the effective utilization of the catalyst in an air fed PEM fuel cell. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011