Performance Analysis of Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells under Air Mixing Condition in Fuel Electrode

Abstract

A belt-shaped damage. on an air electrode of phosphoric acid fuel cells is known to occur when air is introduced to fuel electrodes.
A theory for analyzing current density distribution, cell temperature distribution, and cell voltage distribution of the cell under air mixing condition in fuel electrode is presented.
In order to evaluate this analytical model, experiments are also carried out and compared with the theory.
An air introduced area is assumed to be a resistor having no electromotive force and its resistance are measured using a cell in which the air is supplied to both electrodes.
In proportion to the current through the cell, weight losses of the air electrode are observed at the same time.
When air is introduced to a portion of an operating fuel electrode, current density of the air introduced area decreased to negative values and that of the normal area increases. Cell temperature of the air introduced area also decreases and that of the normal area increases.
Cell voltage of the air introduced area also decreases considerably and that of the normal area decreases slightly.
Every these phenomena are quite similar to the calculated performance of the cell under air mixing condition in fuel electrode enough to justify the theory.