Measurement of heat fluxes and electrodes temperature in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell were performed using platinum wires and heat flux sensors. A temperature difference of 6 °C to 9 °C between the electrodes and the bipolar plates was observed for a cell operating at a current density of 1.5 A.cm-2. These measurements show a strong non-uniformity of the temperature profile through the membrane electrode assembly that future models should take into account. Simultaneous heat fluxes measurements have allowed to evaluate in situ the effective thermal conductivity of the porous layers. Values of the order of 0.3 W.m-1.K-1 were found.

A two-dimensional, transient mathematical model for the mass transfer of a reactant gas in the cathode gas channel of a PEMFC is developed. This model accounts concurrently for gas flow and multicomponent species (oxygen, water vapor and nitrogen) transport in the gas channel at specified cell current densities. The governing equations along with the boundary and initial conditions are solved numerically by using finite-difference methods. The numerical results show that the oxygen and water vapor concentrations in the gas channel are strong functions of stoichiometry. However, at a fixed stoichiometry, the current density has only a slight influence on the concentration variations. The fully-developed Sherwood number for oxygen mass transfer in the gas channel was found to be 6.0, which agrees well with the Sherwood number estimated from the correlation between mass and heat transfer. The current mathematical model and numerical results are confirmed by the experimental verification of the location of first appearance of liquid water at the channel/GDL interface.

Le refroidissement d'une pile à combustible (PEM), utilisée comme source d'énergie électrique dans le domaine de la traction automobile, fait apparaître un certain nombre de contraintes. Une des contraintes fortes se trouve être le refroidissement du cœur de pile, notamment du fait que le niveau de température est faible (environ 80°C), mais aussi que la puissance thermique à évacuer est élevée. Cette étude s'intéresse à un refroidissement de la pile par l'évaporation interne d'un fluide ou par circulation d'un fluide monophasique. Le dispositif expérimental permet de vaporiser le fluide, le HFE7100, le long d'une plaque dont on souhaite mesurer les performances. Une technologie innovante de plaque présentant des bossages ou picots inversés est proposée. Ainsi, cette géométrie est très performante pour du refroidissement monophasique mais l'optimisation reste à faire en régime diphasique.

During the operation of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, a high-resistance oxide is often formed on the cathode surface of base metal bipolar plates. Over time, this corrosion mechanism leads to a drop in fuel cell efficiency and potentially to complete failure. To address this problem, we have developed alloys capable of forming oxides that are both conductive and chemically stable under PEM fuel cell operating conditions. Five alloys of titanium with tantalum or niobium were investigated. The oxides were formed on the alloys by cyclic voltammetry in solutions mimicking the cathode- and anode-side environment of a PEM fuel cell. The oxides of all tested alloys had lower surface resistance than the oxide of pure titanium. We also investigated the chemical durability of Ti–Nb and Ti–Ta alloys in more concentrated solutions beyond those typically found in PEM fuel cells. The oxide films formed on Ti–Nb and Ti–Ta alloys remained conductive and chemically stable in these concentrated solutions. The stability of the oxide films was evaluated; Ti alloys having 3% Ta and Nb were identified as potential candidates for bipolar plate materials.