High performance dry feed hydrogen PEMFCs: Understanding the water balance as a design tool for novel polymer membranes

The water balance in proton exchange membranes (PEM) is the most influential factor affecting proton conduction and hence is important when optimizing the operation of PEM fuel cells. Consequently understanding the water balance in a fuel cell is essential form both an operations and materials design perspective. Previously, the use of autohumidified CSTR fuel cells for fuel cell modeling is demonstrated. This design was taken further demonstrating its use for understanding the water balance in PEM fuel cells and how this can be used to design new membranes. Furthermore, the design and operation of autohumidified fuel cells (with completely dry feeds) capable of matching the performance of current commercial fuel cells, which operate with saturated vapor streams. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 230th ACS National Meeting (Washington, DC 8/28/2005-9/1/2005).