Advanced materials for family of fuel cells: a review of polymer electrolyte membrane

Abstract

Hydrogen is an important energy carrier and a strong candidate for energy storage. It will be a useful tool for storing intermittent energy sources such as sun. Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier that can be used to power nearly every end-use energy need. By this work, modeling and controlling of ion transport rate efficiency in proton exchange membrane (PEMFC), alkaline (AFC), direct methanol (DMFC), phosphoric acid (PAFC), direct forming acid (DFAFC), direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) and molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) have been investigated and compared together. Thermodynamic equations have been investigated for those fuel cells in viewpoint of voltage output data. Effects of operating data including temperature (T), pressure (P), proton exchange membrane water content (λ), and proton exchange membrane thickness (d_mem) on the optimal performance of the irreversible fuel cells have been studied. Performance of fuel cells was analyzed via simulating polarization and power curves for a fuel cell operating at various conditions with current densities. SOFC (Solid oxide fuel cell) is usually combined with a dense electrolyte sandwiched via porous cathode and anode and SORFC (Solid oxide regenerative fuel cell) is a subgroup of RFC with solid oxide regenerative fuel cell. SORFC operates at high temperature with high efficiency and it is a suitable system for high temperature electrolysis.