Degradation Rates of PEM Fuel Cells Running at Open Circuit Voltage

Abstract

Degradation experiments of PEM fuel cells running at open circuit voltage have been performed. Two levels of gas flow rates were applied. No other condition expected to give source to accelerated degradation was chosen. The change of gas flow rates was compared to drop in open circuit voltage and loss of peak effect, i.e. maximum effect obtained from the polarization curve. Further, these losses were compared to the fluoride release rates measured throughout the experiment. The results indicate that fluoride release rates contain contributions from both drop in open circuit voltage as well as loss of peak effect performance.