Experimental set-up for analysis of membranes used in external membrane humidification of PEM fuel cells

•Paper presents an experimental setup that measures vapor transfer through membranes.•The application is for external membrane humidification of PEM fuel cells.•Experimental setup can vary flow rate, relative humidity, pressure and temperature.•Results of five effects of one membrane are presented.

This paper presents an experimental setup for characterisation of membranes used in external membrane humidification of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. In this experimental setup, the inlet air to a fuel cell stack and the highly humidified outlet air of a fuel cell stack are simulated. The two air streams are directed into a membrane test module where vapor transfer properties of a membrane are calculated by measuring inlet and outlet conditions of the membrane test module. Both flat sheet membranes and hollow fiber membranes can be tested with both cross flow and counter flow configurations by simply exchanging the membrane test module. Characterisation of the membranes can be carried out by varying parameters such as flow rates, relative humidity, temperature, and pressure of both air streams. Studies regarding how these parameters influence the vapor transfer through these membranes can be carried out. This paper will be followed with a paper documenting results from a selection of membranes which have been deemed state of the art for external membrane humidification of PEM fuel cells. It will include the model proposed in this paper to analyse the results.