Application of self-adaptive temperature recognition in cold-start of an air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack

• Main Authors: Yu, Xianxian, Chang, Huawei, Zhao, Junjie, Tu, Zhengkai, Chan, Siew Hwa
• Other Authors: Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Engineering; Air-Cooled Stack; Metallic Bipolar Plate
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/164035
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The Self-adaptive control of the temperature can achieve the start of fuel cell at different operating temperatures, which is very important for the successful cold-start of the air-cooled PEMFC. The temperature distribution characteristics during the cold-start process were analyzed based on adaptive temperature recognition control in this paper. Preheating model and cold-start model were established and the optimal balance between the hot air flow rate and the temperature required to promote a uniform temperature distribution in the stack was explored in the preheating stage. Finally, the non-equilibrium mass transfer, as well as the temperature rise in the catalyst layer and gas diffusion layer with different current densities, were analyzed in the start-up stage. The results indicate that the air-cooled PEMFC stack can be successfully started up at -40 °C within 10 min by means of external gas heating. The current density and air velocity have significant impacts on the temperature of air-cooled PEMFC stack. Dynamic analysis of air-cooled PEMFCs and real-time monitoring are suitable for machine learning and self-adaptive control to set the operation parameters to achieve successful cold start. Optimize the matching of load current and cathode inlet speed to achieve thermal management in low temperature environment.