Quasi–<i>in situ</i> neutron tomography on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stacks

Abstract

Quasi–in situ neutron tomography is applied to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stacks for a cell-by-cell detection of liquid water agglomerates. Water distributions in the corresponding anodic and cathodic flow fields are analyzed separately. The influence of the membrane thickness as well as effects of the electro-osmotic drag and of back-diffusion from the cathode to the anode on the water distribution are investigated. Furthermore, the well-known engineering problem of the anomalous behavior of the outermost cells in long multistacks is addressed. The suitability of neutron tomography to support the development of fuel cells is shown.