METHOD OF DEPOLLUTION AND REGENERATION OF A FUEL CELL ELECTRODE POISONED BY SULFUR COMPOUNDS

摘要

A method for depolluting and regenerating a catalytic fuel-cell electrode, the reaction of the fuel of the cell and capture of at least one polluting species occurring on the catalytic electrode, comprises: a decrease, at a constant first reference current density, in fuel flow, relative to a nominal fuel flow, for a first length of time, leading to a value for the stoichiometric coefficient of fuel lower than 1, to increase oxidation potential on the catalytic electrode and reach oxidation potential of the polluting species, to eliminate it; a cut-off of current for a cut-off time; an increase in flow above nominal flow, leading to a value of stoichiometric coefficient higher than or equal to 1; and an increase in current density until a second current density chosen by operator and possibly identical to or different from the initial reference current density, is reached.

主权项

1. A method for depolluting and regenerating a catalytic fuel-cell electrode, the reaction of the fuel of the cell and capture of at least one polluting species occurring on said catalytic electrode, comprising the following steps:
a decrease, at a constant current density called the first reference current density, in fuel flow, relative to a nominal fuel flow, for a first length of time, leading to a value for the stoichiometric coefficient (StH2) of said fuel lower than 1,so as to increase the oxidation potential on said catalytic electrode and reach the oxidation potential of said polluting species, in order to eliminate it; a cut-off of the current for a length of time called the cut-off time; an increase in the flow above the nominal flow, leading, once more, to a value of the stoichiometric coefficient higher than or equal to 1; and an increase in the current density until a second current density chosen by the operator and possibly identical to or different from the initial reference current density, is reached.