Quantification of in situ temperature measurements on a PBI-based high temperature PEMFC unit cell

The temperature is a very important operating parameter for all types of fuel cells. In the present work distributed in situ temperature measurements are presented on a polybenzimidazole based high temperature PEM fuel cell (HT-PEM). A total of 16 T-type thermocouples were embedded on both the anode and cathode flow plates. The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of the proposed temperature characterization method and to identify the temperature distribution on an operating HT-PEM in various modes of operation, including a 700 h sensors durability test. The embedded sensors showed minimal influence on cell performance, this difference seen in performance is believed to be caused by different bipolar plate materials. The measurement method is suitable for obtaining detailed data for validation of computational models, moreover the results indicate that the method can be used as a degradation tool, as it is possible to locate areas exposed to degradation, both in plane and between the anode and cathode.