Analysis of spatio-temporal pattern formation in a PEM fuel cell with Pt/Ru anode exposed to H₂ /CO mixtures

authored by

Sebastian Kirsch, Richard Hanke-Rauschenbach, Kai Sundmacher

Abstract

Abstract
In 2005 Zhang and Datta published a model for describing autonomous potential oscillations in a Pt/Ru -catalyst-polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell operated with CO rich reformate [J. X. Zhang and R. Datta, J. Electrochem. Soc., 152, A1180 (2005)]. In the present contribution, we simplify a spatially extended version of this model in order to relate appearing pattern formation to electrochemical coupling mechanisms described by Krischer [K. Krischer, in Advances in Electrochemical Science and Engineering, Wiley (2003)]. It is concluded that mean-field- and migration-coupling are the fundamental mechanisms dictating pattern formation in the studied system. By artificially separating the electrical coupling terms it is found that large mean-field-coupling leads to a frequency entrainment and migration-coupling to a spatio-temporal intermittency scenario. It is argued that each of the situations can be found under realistic conditions, depending on the membrane conductivity and the system dimensions. © 2010 The Electrochemical Society

External Organisation(s)

Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems
Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg

Type

Article

Journal

Journal of the Electrochemical Society

Volume

158

Pages

B44-B53

ISSN

0013-4651

Publication date

2011

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Surfaces, Coatings and Films, Electrochemistry, Materials Chemistry

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1149/1.3507263 (Access: Unknown)