Electrochemical Pressure Impedance Spectroscopy for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells via Back-Pressure Control

Abstract

Electrochemical pressure impedance spectroscopy (EPIS) analyses the voltage response of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) as a function of an applied pressure signal in the frequency domain. EPIS is similar to electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and its development was inspired by the diagnostic capabilities of the latter. The EPIS introduced in this work modulates the cathode pressure of a PEFC with a sinusoidal signal through the use of a back-pressure controller, and monitors the cell voltage while holding the cell at a constant current. A sinusoidal pressure wave propagates along the flow field channels because of this pressure modulation. This pressure wave impacts local reaction rates and transport properties in the cathode, resulting in a sinusoidal voltage response. The amplitude ratio and phase difference between these two sinusoidal waves entail diagnostic information on processes that take place within the PEFC. To demonstrate the utility of the EPIS technique, experiments have been carried out to measure and analyze the frequency response of PEFCs with two different flow fields. A parametric study has been conducted to characterize the effect of pressure oscillation amplitude, load, oxygen concentration, oxygen stoichiometry and cathode gas flow rate on the EPIS signal.