Effect of Coupled Microstructural Characteristics of Catalyst Layer on High Temperature: Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance
- Title
- Effect of Coupled Microstructural Characteristics of Catalyst Layer on High Temperature: Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance
- Creator
- Varghese G.; Venkatesh Babu K.P.; Joseph T.V.; Chippar P.
- Description
- The widespread adoption of High Temperature-Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (HT-PEMFC) in commercial applications is limited by their performance and durability compared to conventional energy sources. A key factor affecting these cells is the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode catalyst layer (CL). Optimizing the structural parameters of the cathode CL can enhance cell performance and longevity. Current research on these parameters is mostly descriptive, lacking numerical evidence to quantify their impact. This study develops a three-dimensional, non-isothermal HT-PEMFC numerical model to investigate the sensitivities of coupled structural parameters of the cathode CL, including Pt loading, CL thickness, and Pt particle diameter, at three levels. The orthogonal/Taguchi approach quantitatively assesses the impact of these parameters. The study reveals that Pt loading significantly affects cell voltage and cathode overpotential, while Pt diameter influences the homogeneity of overpotential distribution. The dominant impact of a single parameter decreases at higher current densities, necessitating careful analysis of trade-offs between different structural characteristics to maximize performance. These findings offer valuable insights for future experimental studies to enhance cell performance through adjustments to cathode catalyst characteristics. 2024 The Electrochemical Society (ECS). Published on behalf of ECS by IOP Publishing Limited. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved.
- Source
- Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Vol-171, No. 10
- Date
- 2024-01-01
- Publisher
- Institute of Physics
- Coverage
- Varghese G., CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, 560 029, India; Venkatesh Babu K.P., Applied Engineering and Computational Analysis Laboratory, St Joseph Engineering College (Affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi), Vamanjoor, Mangaluru, 575 028, India; Joseph T.V., CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, 560 029, India; Chippar P., Applied Engineering and Computational Analysis Laboratory, St Joseph Engineering College (Affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi), Vamanjoor, Mangaluru, 575 028, India
- Rights
- All Open Access; Bronze Open Access
- Relation
- ISSN: 134651; CODEN: JESOA
- Format
- Online
- Language
- English
- Type
- Article
Collection
Citation
Varghese G.; Venkatesh Babu K.P.; Joseph T.V.; Chippar P., “Effect of Coupled Microstructural Characteristics of Catalyst Layer on High Temperature: Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance,” CHRIST (Deemed To Be University) Institutional Repository, accessed February 24, 2025, https://archives.christuniversity.in/items/show/12792.