Development of Intermediate Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell with Multi-Functional Plate

聚合物电解质燃料电池（PEFC）技术被认为是最适合于交通应用的零碳排放解决方案。工作温度在100 oC和120 oC之间的PEFC，即所谓的“中温”PEFC（IT-PEFC），提供了几个好处，包括：提高反应速率，对燃料流中污染物的耐受性略高，液态水积聚较少，以及简化BOP系统。在PEFC堆中，双极板（BPP）和气体扩散层（GDL）是重要的成本驱动因素。因此，BPP/GDL材料和流场图案优化可以大大提高堆性能并降低成本。多孔金属泡沫可以用作PEFC的BPP或GDL的替代物，从而导致更低的重量、更低的接触电阻和在催化剂层上更均匀的电流密度分布。在本项目中，设计，制造和测试的金属泡沫板以及薄金属板的IT-PEFC将进行。这组板，即所谓的多功能板（MFP），取代了传统电池的BPP和GDL，通过将单个重复单元的厚度减小至60%来提高体积功率密度。此外，通过使用MFP，可以将GDL和BPP的制造合并到单个过程中，从而大幅降低制造成本。为了实现项目目标，将通过4个工作包进行一系列活动，包括数值模拟，制造，测试和可行性研究：1。通过数值模拟进行MFP设计; 2. MFP-ITPEFC的原型/异位/原位测试; 3.短堆的制造/测试，以及4.商业化的技术经济学研究。这一雄心勃勃的目标将通过研究员和主管的互补技能，基于金属泡沫的独特性质，IT-PEFC的主要特征，精心设计的培训计划以及工业合作伙伴的出色经验和设施来实现。

Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC) technology is considered as the most suitable zero carbon emission solution for transportation applications. PEFCs with operating temperatures of between 100oC and 120oC, coined 'intermediate temperature' PEFC (IT-PEFC), provide several benefits including; improved reaction rate, slightly higher tolerance to contaminants in the fuel stream, lower liquid water build-up, and simplified BOP system. In PEFC stacks, the bipolar plate (BPP) and gas diffusion layer (GDL) are significant cost-drivers. Therefore, BPP/GDL materials and flow-field pattern optimisation can greatly improve stack performance and reduce costs. Porous metallic foam can be applied as alternative of BPPs or GDLs of PEFCs resulting lower weight, lower contact resistance, and more uniform distribution of current density over the catalyst layer. In this project, design, fabrication and test of a metal foam plate as well as a thin metal plate for IT-PEFC will be performed. This set of plates, the so-called multifunctional plate (MFP), replaced BPPs and GDLs of conventional cells, increasing the volumetric power density by reducing the thickness of the single repeating unit up to 60%. Moreover, with the use of MFP, the manufacturing of GDL and BPP can be combined into a single process, resulting in a substantial reduction in manufacturing cost. To reach the projects aims, a range of activities including numerical simulation, fabrication, tests and feasibility study will be performed via 4 work packages: 1. MFP design via numerical simulation; 2. Prototyping/ ex-situ/ in-situ test of MFP-ITPEFC; 3. Manufacturing/test of short stacks, and 4. Techno-economics study for commercialisation. The ambitious aim will be achieved with the complementary skills of fellow and supervisors, based on the unique properties of metallic foam, major features of IT-PEFCs, a well-designed training scheme, and the excellent experience and facilities of industrial partners.