Supercapacitor Sizing for Fast Power Dips in a Hybrid Supercapacitor—PEM Fuel Cell System

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEM FC) operation is likely to be characterized by voltage dips on timescales shorter than 1 s, arising from temporary flooding of gas channels or porous layers, particularly when the FC is operated at high humidity levels. If supercapacitors are employed in hybrid systems, they can make up for the temporary lack of energy produced by the FC. However, the steep slopes of the voltage dips affect the energy that can be actually delivered by the supercapacitor because of its series impedance, and this should be taken into account when sizing it. This paper presents a simplified approach for sizing the supercapacitor, based on some observed peculiar features of the FC dips, which allow a simple but accurate model for the evaluation of the supercapacitor response to such dips. The validity of such an approach is supported by simulation and experimental results performed on a single PEM FC and on a supercapacitor

Functional and Environmental Performances of Novel Electrolytic Membranes for PEM Fuel Cells: A Lab-Scale Case Study

Despite being the most employed polymer electrolyte for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), Nafion® has several limitations: expensiveness, poor performance when exposed to temperatures higher than 80 °C, and its potential as a source of environmentally persistent and toxic compounds (i.e., per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFASs) when disposed of. This work explores the functional and environmental performances of three potential PFAS-free alternatives to Nafion® as electrolytic membranes in PEMFCs: sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO), graphene oxide-naphthalene sulfonate (GONS), and borate-reinforced sulfonated graphene oxide (BSGO). Investigated via ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, TGA, and cross-sectional SEM, the membranes show an effective functionalization of GO and good thermal stability. Functional properties are determined via Ion Exchange Capacity (IEC) evaluation, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, and tensile tests. In terms of IEC, the innovative materials outperform Nafion® 212. Proton conductivities at 80 °C of SGO (1.15 S cm-1) and GONS (1.71 S cm-1) are higher than that of the commercial electrolyte (0.56 S cm-1). At the same time, the membranes are investigated via Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to uncover potential environmental hotspots. Results show that energy consumption during manufacture is the main environmental concern for the three membranes. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the impact could be significantly reduced if the production procedures were scaled up. Among the three alternatives, SGO shows the best trade-off between proton conductivity and environmental impact, even though performance results from real-life applications are needed to determine the actual environmental consequences of replacing Nafion® in PEMFCs