Effect of Vibrations on Performance of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Fuel cells find a wide range of applications ranging from table top power sources to auxiliary power units for cars and aircraft. For mobile applications, vibration becomes a crucial parameter. The study analyzes a cell of active area 150 X 200, for modal analysis. The frequencies determined from the study are ∼500 Hz which are practically of greater importance. At these frequencies resonance near the gasket edges is detected from the mode shapes, which shows possible sites of hydrogen leakage. The reduction in torque at the bolt positions near the resonance sites is observed to be around 25% of the initial torque for 1 hours of study and 10 g of acceleration. Contact pressure profile changes significantly after operation of the cell under vibrations. Using harmonic analysis for the obtained natural frequencies, estimation of hydrogen leakage can be performed. The study gives important insights into performance predictions of fuel cell over its operational lifetime in mobile units.