Speaker: Satoru Kato, Ph.D., Senior Researcher, Material Analysis & Evaluation Research-Domain / Toyota Central R&D Labs. (TCRDL), Inc.
Water Visualization in Low-temperature Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells Using Operando Synchrotron X-ray Computed Tomography
Abstract
Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) are environmentally friendly energy devices that utilize hydrogen as a fuel source and generate water as a byproduct. They can be categorized into low-temperature PEFCs (LT-PEFCs) and high-temperature PEFCs (HT-PEFCs) based on their operating temperatures. HT-PEFCs face challenges with reduced proton conductivity due to membrane dehydration, whereas LT-PEFCs encounter issues with decreased gas diffusivity caused by water flooding. LT-PEFCs experience minimal heat loss during startup and shutdown cycles, making them suitable for passenger vehicles that frequently start and stop.
In this research, we introduced an operando synchrotron X-ray CT setup under forced cooling conditions for LT-PEFCs. By examining the dynamic behavior of liquid water at temperatures ranging from 10 to 45°C using gas diffusion layers (GDL) with cracks in the microporous layer (MPL), it was determined that these cracks act as drainage channels at lower temperatures. This finding offers valuable insights for future control of GDL pore structures.
