Title: Design of experiments to generate a fuel cell electro-thermal performance map and optimise transitional pathways

Authors: Quentin Meyer; Lara Rasha; Hans-Michael Koegeler; Simon Foster; Paul Adcock; Paul R. Shearing; Dan J.L. Brett

Addresses: Electrochemical Innovation Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK ' Electrochemical Innovation Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK ' 2AVL List GmbH, Instrumentation and Test Systems, Hans List Platz 1, 8020 Graz, Austria ' Intelligent Energy, Charnwood Building Holywell Park, Ashby Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3GB, UK ' Intelligent Energy, Charnwood Building Holywell Park, Ashby Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3GB, UK ' Electrochemical Innovation Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK ' Electrochemical Innovation Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

Abstract: The influence of the air cooling flow rate and current density on the temperature, voltage and power density is a challenging issue for air-cooled, open cathode fuel cells. Electro-thermal maps have been generated using large datasets (530 experimental points) to characterise these correlations, which reveal that the amount of cooling, alongside with the load, directly affect the cell temperature. This work uses the design of experiment (DoE) approach to tackle two challenges. Firstly, an S-optimal design plan is used to reduce the number of experiments from 530 to 555 to determine the peak power density in an electro-thermal map. Secondly, the design of experiment approach is used to determine the fastest way to reach the highest power density, yet limiting acute temperature gradients, via three intermediate steps of current density and air cooling rate.

Keywords: fuel cell; s-optimal design; cost-reduction; optimum transitional pathway; electro-thermal mapping.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPT.2018.090369

International Journal of Powertrains, 2018 Vol.7 No.1/2/3, pp.118 - 141

Received: 21 Jan 2017
Accepted: 24 Jul 2017
Published online: 13 Mar 2018 *

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