German fuel cell alliance calls for political support

• Book ID: 104435261
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 86 KB
• Volume: 2005
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1464-2859
• DOI: 10.1016/s1464-2859(05)00509-2

✦ Synopsis

The key to the sensors' success is their ability to measure temperature and moisture within an operating fuel cell. This allows developers of PEM fuel cells to verify computer models of stacks to optimize performance. Real-time diagnostic sensors also allow designers to increase stack power density by reducing operating margins, and to quickly identify the development of hot spots that could cause catastrophic failure.

The new sensors, which combine fiber optics with luminescence technology, feature temperature accuracy to within ±0.5°C, humidity accuracy within 1% and temperature response time of 0.1 s. The work is funded by the DOE's Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Program.