Defining the Operational Conditions for High Temperature Polymer Fuel Cells in Naval Environments
Abstract
A new high-temperature polymer fuel cell is emerging, based on phosphoric-acid-doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes. PBI technology combines some of the benefits of both Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) and phosphoric acid fuel cell technologies: a solid polymer electrolyte, the PBI membrane, but with higher temperature (160 degrees C) operation. PBI membrane technology is far less developed than that for PEMFCs, but it is rapidly emerging as a possible candidate for naval fuel cell systems. With sponsorship from the Office of Naval Research, NRL evaluated the PBI membranes under varied poisoning conditions -- sulfur impurity speciation: H sub 2 S and SO sub 2; impurity concentrations of 1 to 10 ppm -- and examined strategies for contaminant cleanup and removal and fuel cell recovery. The finding of these studies is that PBI membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) have approximately two orders of magnitude higher tolerance to sulfur contaminants in air than PEM MEAs. The performance of sulfur-poisoned PBI MEAs is completely recovered upon exposure to clear air.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 31, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA492757
Entities
People
- Karen E Swider-Lyons
- Olga Baturina
- Yannick Garsany
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory