Variable air utilization increases fuel cell membrane durability

摘要

A fuel cell stack (10) is operated with a low air utilization which is very low when the stack is providing low current density, and is operated with air utilization increasing as a function of current density above a predetermined current density.

主权项

1. A method characterized by:
operating an evaporatively cooled fuel cell power plant in a manner to provide air utilization of less than about 40% while the power plant is producing electric power at current densities at or below a predetermined current density, and operating the fuel cell power plant with air utilization as a function of current density for current densities in excess of said predetermined current density, wherein said predetermined current density is about one-third of maximum current density.