APPARATUS FOR MEASURING MICRO-CRACKS IN A MEMBRANE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR PREDICTING GENERATION OF MICRO-CRACKS IN THE SAME

摘要

An apparatus for measuring micro-cracks in a membrane electrode assembly includes a resistance measurement unit to measure variation in electrical resistance of the membrane electrode assembly while tensioning the membrane electrode assembly in a state in which power is applied to an upper catalyst layer while a lower catalyst layer is insulated, an image capture unit to capture an image of micro-cracks in the upper catalyst layer while the membrane electrode assembly is being tensioned, and a controller to detect, in real time, variation in electrical resistance measured by the resistance measurement unit, corresponding to the image of micro-cracks captured by the image capture unit, and to interpret the size of the micro-cracks generated in the membrane electrode assembly based on the detected variation in electrical resistance.

主权项

1. An apparatus for measuring micro-cracks in a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell, the membrane electrode assembly being formed with an upper catalytic layer and a lower catalytic layer on an upper surface and a lower surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane, respectively, the apparatus comprising:
a resistance measurement unit configured to clamp the upper catalyst layer and the lower catalyst layer of the membrane electrode assembly, the resistance measurement unit serving to measure variation in electrical resistance of the membrane electrode assembly while tensioning both sides of the membrane electrode assembly in a state in which power is applied to only the upper catalyst layer of the membrane electrode assembly while the lower catalyst layer of the membrane electrode assembly is insulated; an image capture unit disposed directly above the membrane electrode assembly and serving to capture an image of micro-cracks generated in the upper catalyst layer of the membrane electrode assembly while the membrane electrode assembly is being tensioned by the resistance measurement unit; and a controller configured to detect, in real time, the variation in electrical resistance, measured by the resistance measurement unit, corresponding to the image of micro-cracks captured by the image capture unit, and to interpret the size of the micro-cracks generated in the membrane electrode assembly based on the detected variation in electrical resistance.