"Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are a promising technology for the automotive industry. However, it is necessary to develop effective diagnostic tools to improve system reliability and operational life to be competitive in the automotive market. Early detection and diagnosis of fuel cell faults may lead to increased system reliability and performance. An efficient on-line diagnosis system may prevent irreparable damage due to poor control and system fatigue. Current attempts to monitor fuel cell stack health are limited to specialized tests that require numerous parameters. An increased effort exists to minimize parameter input and maximize diagnostic robustness. Most methods use complex models or black-box methods to determine a singular fault mode. Limited research exists with pre-processing or statistical methods. This research examines the effectiveness of a Naïve Bayes classifier on determining multiple states of health; such as healthy, dry, degraded catalyst, and inert gas build-up. Independent component analysis and principal component analysis are investigated for preprocessing. An automotive style fuel cell model is developed to generate data for these purposes. Since automotive applications have limited computational power, a system that minimizes the number of inputs and computational complexity is preferred."--Abstract.

In the context of the energy transition, fuel cell becomes one of the promising alternative energy sources. Recently the spotlight is on fuel cell systems research, and more particularly on Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFCs) which is one of the best candidates for both stationary and transportation applications. Even if this technology is close to being competitive, it is not yet ready to be considered for a large scale industrial deployment because of its limited durability and reliability. Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) is a recent approach to manage and possibly extend life duration of technological systems. Prognostic techniques can provide an estimation of fuel cell State Of Health (SOH) and a prediction for their Remaining Useful Life (RUL) to help the manufacturers improving fuel cell performance and managing its lifespan.The objective of this work is to develop prognostic methodologies for the RUL prognosis adapted to the complexity of PEMFCs. Indeed, the PEMFC is a multi-scale and multi-physics system, and various challenges are faced:1. The definition of SOH to build a degradation indicator.2. The coexistence of both reversible and irreversible degradation phenomena.3. Taking into account different deterioration causes and effects of operating conditions.In the first part of our work, we conduct a state of the art analysis on PHM for PEMFCs, with the aim of proposing a SOH definition and building a degradation indicator for PEMFC prognosis purposes. And since PEMFC measurements are scarce, the state of the art on Lithium batteries, other electrochemical cells, is also explored.In the second part, we develop a particle filtering based prognostic algorithm for PEMFC, based on output power measurements. The first results show that the prognosis algorithm is disturbed by the existing reversible degradation. However, the irreversible degradation can be estimated thanks to characterization tests, such as Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), which is applied from time to time. We propose thus an adapted & extended prognostic algorithm to take into account both health indicators: the output power degradation and the SOH degradation estimated from EIS characterization. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by different prognostic performance metrics, and the results show the interest of this approach.In the third part, the problem is addressed from a more theoretical point of view. Indeed, a system's degradation behavior is often correlated with internal and external covariates which are usually difficult to access owing to expensive measurement cost. Therefore, we first developed a prognostic approach with online inspections on the degradation covariate at a different level, and then we propose an approach for RUL prognosis based on an ensemble of models using different sources at different levels. The RUL predictions of both models are dynamically aggregated on the basis of prognostic performance evaluated on a set of historical data. Consequently, the prediction accuracy is improved by overcoming both models' drawbacks and leveraging their strengths. In the last part, we extend the problem to multi-level prognostics and explore new possibilities, which open new aspects for future research on PEMFC lifetime prognosis and management.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. It has a place in the energy mix of the future, especially regarding fuel cells (FCs). This book is an investigation into FCs. Prominence is given to the subject of PEMFCs (proton exchange membrane fuel cells) as they offer interesting perspectives on transport and stationary applications. This being said, a number of technological and scientific obstacles remain to be overcome before an industrial level of development can be reached.

This book examines the characteristics of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells with a focus on deriving realistic finite element models. The book also explains in detail how to set up measuring systems, data analysis, and PEM Fuel Cells’ static and dynamic characteristics. Covered in detail are design and operation principles such as polarization phenomenon, thermodynamic analysis, and overall voltage; failure modes and mechanisms such as permanent faults, membrane degradation, and water management; and modelling and numerical simulation including semi-empirical, one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional models. It is appropriate for graduate students, researchers, and engineers who work with the design and reliability of hydrogen fuel cells, in particular proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

PEM Fuel Cell Testing and Diagnosis covers the recent advances in PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell systems, focusing on instruments and techniques for testing and diagnosis, and the application of diagnostic techniques in practical tests and operation. This book is a unique source of electrochemical techniques for researchers, scientists and engineers working in the area of fuel cells. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are currently considered the most promising clean energy-converting devices for stationary, transportation, and micro-power applications due to their high energy density, high efficiency, and environmental friendliness. To advance research and development of this emerging technology, testing and diagnosis are an essential combined step. This book aids those efforts, addressing effects of humidity, temperature and pressure on fuel cells, degradation and failure analysis, and design and assembly of MEAs, single cells and stacks. - Provides fundamental and theoretical principles for PEM fuel cell testing and diagnosis. - Comprehensive source for selecting techniques, experimental designs and data analysis - Analyzes PEM fuel cell degradation and failure mechanisms, and suggests failure mitigation strategies - Provides principles for selecting PEM fuel cell key materials to improve durability

This book highlights the latest advances in fundamental research, technologies and applications of hydrogen energy and fuel cells. In recent years, energy conversion between electricity and hydrogen energy has attracted increasing attention as a way to adjust the load of the grid. This book discusses and exchanges cutting-edge findings and technological developments in fields such as new proton exchange membrane electrolyzers, new electrode materials and catalysts, renewable energy, off-grid/grid-connected water electrolysis for hydrogen production, key materials and components of fuel cells, high-temperature solid oxide water electrolysis, energy storage technologies and research, CO2 hydrogenation to methanol, nitrogen to ammonia and other applications with industrial potential. The main topics of the proceedings include: 1) Policies and strategies for hydrogen energy and fuel cells; 2) Advanced proton exchange membranes, electrodes and catalyst materials for water electrolysis; 3) Advanced hydrogen compression, storage, transportation and distribution technologies; 4) Safety and related standards; 5) Manufacture and R&D of key materials and components of fuel cells and stack systems.

PEM Fuel Cell Failure Mode Analysis presents a systematic analysis of PEM fuel cell durability and failure modes. It provides readers with a fundamental understanding of insufficient fuel cell durability, identification of failure modes and failure mechanisms of PEM fuel cells, fuel cell component degradation testing, and mitigation strategies against degradation. The first several chapters of the book examine the degradation of various fuel cell components, including degradation mechanisms, the effects of operating conditions, mitigation strategies, and testing protocols. The book then discusses the effects of different contamination sources on the degradation of fuel cell components and explores the relationship between external environment and the degradation of fuel cell components and systems. It also reviews the correlation between operational mode, such as start-up and shut-down, and the degradation of fuel cell components and systems. The last chapter explains how the design of fuel cell hardware relates to failure modes. Written by international scientists active in PEM fuel cell research, this volume is enriched with practical information on various failure modes analysis for diagnosing cell performance and identifying failure modes of degradation. This in turn helps in the development of mitigation strategies and the increasing commercialization of PEM fuel cells.

Clean energy technologies are poised to play an important role in overcoming fossil fuel exhaustion and global pollution. Among these technologies, electrochemical energy storage and conversion are considered to be the most feasible, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are prime examples of electrochemical energy conversion technologies in action. Believed to be ideal sources of clean power, PEM fuel cells are replacing internal combustion and diesel engines in vehicles, as well as Pb-acid batteries and diesel generators in the emergency backup of telecommunications base stations and computer centers. Written by an industry-leading scientist, Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells explains the theoretical foundations of PEM fuel cells in relation to practical design and operation to not only help beginners grasp the essentials, but also guide industry professionals in tackling technical challenges. Useful to scientists, researchers, students, academics, and practicing engineers, the book covers the fundamentals, materials, components, modules, system architecture, applications, and current developmental status; offers real-world examples; and provides insight into advancing this sustainable clean technology.

This book focuses on water content estimation and control of the PEM fuel cell stack and the individual cell in vehicle. Firstly, the mathematical connection between polarization curve and equivalent circuit model proves importance of MEA and its feasibility to study water content. Optimizing structure of MEA realizes the internal water content recirculation of a fuel cell and improves its performance under middle or lower current density. The influence of water content on performance of MEA is quantified, and variation of equivalent circuit model is an excellent indicator of water content. Secondly, the comprehensive online AC impedance measurement method is put forward, including current excitation method, weak voltage and current signal processing method, and method for analyzing measurement error, and experiment validates measurement accuracy. The high-frequency impedance and statistical characteristic are proposed as indicator of water content. Finally, the dynamic model of the air supply system of a fuel cell engine is established and the closed-loop control of the air supply system and the water content estimation are decoupled. The experiment on a fuel cell system validates the proposed method for searching optimized operating conditions and the water management strategy.

The symposium was devoted to all aspects of research development and engineering of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Three subareas were covered: materials and electrode processes, fuel cell systems, and durability.