Innovative Design and Manufacture of MEA and Bipolar Plate

本研究的主要目标是通过膜电解液组件(MEA)和双极板的设计和制造来构建一种创新的PEM燃料电池。这项研究将与位于不列颠哥伦比亚省温哥华的Palcan Power Systems公司合作进行。在过去的十年里，质子交换膜(PEM)燃料电池发电系统引起了加拿大政府和研究人员的极大关注。由于PEM燃料电池具有纯氢零排放的特点，已成为未来汽车最有希望的动力源。然而，尽管PEM燃料电池的实际效率通常高于内燃机，但它们的设计存在寿命短、成本高和性能低的问题。因此，要实现PEM燃料电池的商业化，必须对PEM燃料电池进行重大的创新设计。我们将通过使用数值方法和实验方法来测试我们的设计来接近我们的主要目标。我们将改进和应用我们自己的三维数学模型(具有内置水-气-界面跟踪的多相，多组分，详细的电化学子模型)和我们自己的实验设备来进行PEM燃料电池的设计和优化。使用仿真工具和实验测试设备，可以获得更准确的结果，并可以优化更多的运行条件。将根据数值结果和实验结果来选择最好的设计。PEM燃料电池的创新设计将是一个组件一个组件地实现。预计这项研究将对PEM燃料电池的商业化进程产生重大影响，并迅速实现这一清洁技术。预计我们的研究成果将为加拿大的燃料电池行业带来巨大的经济效益，从而为加拿大人提供更多的就业机会。由于PEM燃料电池技术的清洁性质，PEM燃料电池的成功商业化还将为所有加拿大人提供显著的环境效益。

The main objective of the proposed research is to build an innovative PEM fuel cell through the design and manufacture of Membrane Electrolyte Assembly (MEA) and bipolar plate. The research will be conducted in collaboration with Palcan Power Systems Inc. at Vancouver, BC. Over the last decade, proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell power systems have attracted significant attention from the Canadian government and researchers. Because of its zero-emission feature with pure hydrogen, the PEM fuel cell has become the most promising power source for future vehicles. However, PEM fuel cell designs suffer from short lifetime, high cost, and low performance, although their practical efficiency is usually higher than that of the internal combustion engine. Therefore, significantly innovative design of PEM fuel cells is a must to achieve the commercialization of PEM fuel cells. We will approach our main objective by using both numerical and experimental methods to test our designs. We will improve and apply our own 3-dimensional mathematical model (with multi-phase with built-in water-gas-interface tracking, multi-component, detailed electro-chemical sub-models) and our own experimental facility to PEM fuel cell design and optimizations. With both the simulation tool and experimental testing facility, more accurate results can be obtained, and more operating conditions can be optimized. The best of the designs will be selected based on both the numerical and experimental results. The innovative design of PEM fuel cell will be achieved component by component. It is expected that this research will significantly influence PEM fuel cell commercialization processes and quickly bring this clean technology to fruition. It is also expected that our research results will bring great economical benefits to Canada's fuel cell industry thereby providing more job opportunities for Canadians. Successful commercialization of PEM fuel cells will also provide significant environmental benefits to all Canadians due to the clean nature of PEM fuel cell technology.