Performance study of a PEM fuel cell

This paper presents the installation, maintenance and the efficiency of a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cell, Ballard Trade Mark that use pure hydrogen as fuel and air as an oxidant. A study of the overall efficiency, considering the co-generation of electrical and thermal energies, is performed. The system consists of the cell, a CC/CC converter, a battery, a DC/AC inverter and the load. The behavior of the system is experimentally analyzed for different load states (cases) by measuring and controlling all the parameters registered by the communication software of the cell. The software can adjust limit values for current intensity, hydrogen flow, pressure and the temperature.

► The efficiency is calculated, measured and compared by various methods.
► The efficiency found reflects the behavior expected from theoretical modeling.
► The efficiency of the fuel cell varies from a value of 0.53 to 0.38.
► With increase the currents intensities the efficiency decreasing.