Development of an Imaging System for the Observation of Water Behavior in a Channel in PEMFC

A new imaging system was developed for observing water distribution in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) under operation. This imaging system realizes both low-noise and high-sensitivity imaging, enables image capture with a relatively short exposure time (approximately sub-seconds) and effectively visualizes the internal events of a PEMFC. It consists of an electron multiplying charge coupled device (EMCCD) camera, new 6LiF/ZnS scintillator screen, and slit system. The EMCCD camera has a wide dynamic range and high sensitivity, and the brightness of the new 6LiF/ZnS scintillator screen is approximately twice as high as that of conventional 6LiF/ZnS scintillator screen. The slit system is used to reduce the white dot noise caused by the primary and/or secondary prompt gamma rays. By a characteristic test, it was demonstrated that water behavior in the channel of a PEMFC can be clearly and qualitatively observed using the new imaging system.