Dead-ended anode polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack operation investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, off-gas analysis and thermal imaging

Dead-ended anode operation, with intermittent purge, is increasingly being used in polymer electrolyte fuel cells as it simplifies the mass flow control of feed and improves fuel efficiency. However, performance is affected through a reduction in voltage during dead-ended operation, particularly at high current density. This study uses electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), off-gas analysis and high resolution thermal imaging to examine the source of performance decay during dead-ended operation. A novel, ‘reconstructed impedance’ technique is applied to acquire complete EIS spectra with a temporal resolution that allows the dynamics of cell processes to be studied.