| 摘要 |
A method and apparatus for mitigating decay of multiple membrane electrode assemblies (20) in a fuel cell stack (12). Each membrane electrode assembly (20) includes an anode (16) and a cathode (18) on respectively opposite sides of a proton exchange membrane (14). The positioning of a plane of potential change (Xo) is controlled to be/maintained outside the membrane and within the cathode of each membrane electrode assembly, both during regular electrical load cycling and during relatively idle operation of a primary electrical load (28) connected to the fuel cell stack. A determination (22, 24, 54, 50) of electrical demand on the fuel cell stack is reflective of either regular electrical load cycling or relatively idle operation, and during relatively idle operation a secondary electrical load (52) is connected (26, 24″) to the stack and/or a flow of air (36) to the cathode is regulated (62, 60) to maintain the plane of potential change (Xo) outside the membrane.
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