Abstract
In the development of more efficient and stable Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC), it is important to propose the optimal operating condition and the optimal shape that can uniform the distribution of current density and relative humidity in a single cell. In this study, the effect of changing operation conditions on the i-V characteristic with a small PEFC was examined experimentally. And the model was created that can express these influences on PEFC reaction characteristics. Furthermore, a PEFC reaction and thermal flow analysis model was constructed. Various operation conditions (membrane thickness, gas diffusion layer thickness, etc.) were evaluated from the viewpoint of average current density and uniformity of current density and relative humidity. As a result, by using the thin membrane, high power density was obtained, and the water management was simplified, but the current density distribution increased. The information that decided the optimal operation conditions was obtained.
