Imaging PEMFC performance heterogeneity by sensing external magnetic field

Abstract

Proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) hold promise as next-generation energy sources. However, PEMFCs experience substantial faults with various degradation mechanisms during electrochemical operation, leading to performance heterogeneity. In this work, we use magnetic field imaging as an online and non-destructive tool to sense the heterogeneity of a PEMFC performance during its operation. The correlation between PEMFC performance and magnetic field variation is established, followed by numerical models and experimental validation at different PEMFC fault scenarios. From the results, the degradation mechanisms of different faults, including initiation of PEMFC faults at different areas and corresponding progress, can be witnessed online, which can be greatly beneficial for studying reliability and durability of PEMFCs at various operating conditions.