An In Situ Method for Determination of Current Distribution in PEM Fuel Cells Applied to a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

摘要: This paper describes and demonstrates a new method for determination of current density distribution in an operating polymer electrolyte membrane ~PEM! fuel cell. The technique is modification the mapping that relies on array shunt resistors embedded within collecting plate. Standard, nonaltered electrode assemblies are utilized with gas diffusion layers direct contact electrically segmented collector/flow field. Multiple measurements taken simultaneously, allowing transient detection multichannel potentiostat. Both steady state data presented liquid fed methanol Cathode flooding predicted, shown to occur at relatively high cathode flow rates. can contribute knowledge understanding key phenomena including water management species PEM cells.