Engr 416

Fuel Cell Heat Balance Lab

The objectives of this lab are to perform a heat balance on an operating fuel cell (FC) and
to determine the rate of heat loss from the FC. We will be using the SERC fuel cell test
station to control and monitor the air, water, and hydrogen inputs into the FC and to
monitor the temperature at various points within the FC as shown in Figure 1. Water is
used as the FC coolant.

Figure 1. Thermocouple Placement with Respect to Water and Air Flows in Stack

The production of power by the FC is linked to the reaction of H2 with the O2 in the air:

Anode Side Re action H 2 2H + + 2e

1
Cathode Side Re action O2 + 2H + + 2e H 2O
2
1
Overall Re action H 2 + O2 H 2O
2
As you can see, the current produced by the FC is directly proportional to the H2 and O2
consumption rates and the H2O production rate. For every Ampere of current (1 A = 1
coul/s = 96,500 mol e-/s) produced by the FC, 5.181E-6 mol H2/s and 2.591E-6 mol O2/s
are consumed and 5.181E-6 mol H2O/s are produced. Note that the exiting air flow
contains 2.591E-6 mol /s less O2 than the inlet air.

The list of monitored and recorded values includes:

IFC = FC current (A)
VFC = FC voltage (V)
n& _H2_in = molar input rate for H2 (mol/s) into the Anode
= rH2O = reaction rate
= (slm)/(22.4 sl/mol)*(1min/60s)
= IFC5.181E-6 mol H2/(sA)
n& _dot_O2_in = molar input rate for oxygen in the air (mol/s) into the Cathode
= (air_flow_slm)/(22.4 sl/mol)*(1min/60s)*0.21
n& _dot_N2_in = molar input rate for nitrogen in the air (mol/s) into the Cathode
= (air_flow_slm)/(22.4 sl/mol)*(1min/60s)*0.79
n& _dot_H2O_in = molar flow rate for liquid water (mol/s) (measured by hand)
= (L/min)*(1min/60s)*density (kg/L)*(1 mol/0.002016 kg)
n& _dot_H2O vap_in = molar flow rate for water vapor (mol/s) = 0 (approx.)
T_air_in = ambient temperature (ca. 20C)
T_air_exit = T1 (C)
T_H2_in = ambient temperature (ca. 20C)
T_H2_exit = T_air_exit (C) (N.B. H2 side is dead-ended)
T_water_in = T2 (C)
T_water_exit = T3 (C)

Other flow rates can be estimated from the measured values.

n& _H2_out = molar input rate for H2 (mol/s) = 0 (except during purges)
n& _dot_O2_out = molar input rate for oxygen in the air (mol/s)
= n& _dot_O2_in 0.5* rH2O
n& _dot_N2_out = n& _dot_N2_in
= molar input rate for nitrogen in the air (mol/s)
n& _dot_H2O_out = molar flow rate for liquid water (mol/s)
n& _dot_H2O_in
n& _dot_H2O vap_out = molar flow rate of water vapor in the exiting air (mol/s)
= rH2O = IFC5.181E-6 mol H2/(sA)

To perform the energy balance on the FC stack, we will use the boundary of the FC as
our control volume and assume steady-state, steady-flow. The 1st law for then becomes:

Q& FC + Q& loss + n&i hi = n&e he + W& FC

i e
So that
Q& loss = n&e he n&i hi + W& FC Q& FC
e i
where

Q& FC = heat production rate (kJ/s) =LHV* n& _H2_in = 242,000 kJ/kmol* n& _H2_in
W& FC = FC power output (kJ/s) = IFC VFC
n& h = n&
i i w, f ,i hw, f ,i + n& H 2,i hH 2,i + n&O2,i hO 2,i + n& N 2,i hN 2,i
i

n& he e = n&w, f ,e hw, f ,e + n&w,g,e hw,g,e + n&O2,e hO2,e + n& N 2,e hN 2,e
e

Table 1 provides the parameters for a linear correlation between the molar enthalpy
(kJ/kmol)of each component and temperature (C):

h = a + b T

Table 1 Linear Correlation between Molar Enthalpy and Temperature

a= b=
MW Intercept Slope
Component (kg/kmol) (kJ/kmol) (kJ/(kmolC)) r2
N2 28.014 7941 29.13 1.00000
O2 31.999 7951 29.41 0.99999
H2 2.016 7748 28.92 0.999995
H2O (liq) 18.015 6.350 75.30 1.00000
H2O (vap) 18.015 45,091 31.99 0.9999

Tasks:
1. a) Set the operating temperature of the fuel cell and allow it to come to
temperature.
b) Set the operating current (IFC) for the fuel cell and allow the system
parameters to come to steady state.
2. Measure and record the system flow rates, temperatures, current, voltages, and
other parameters for at least 10 minutes while the system is at steady state.
3. Other groups will repeat tasks 1 and 2 for a total of two temperatures at each
of two operating currents, producing a total of four data sets.

Data Analysis:
 1. For each of the four data sets, estimate the heat loss rate for each line of data.
2. For each of the four data sets, plot the heat loss rate vs time. Are there any trends?
What might explain those trends?
3. For each of the four data sets, determine the sample mean and the sample standard
deviation heat loss rate.
4. Plot the mean heat loss rate vs the temperature and vs the fuel cell current. What
patterns do you see? Does the heat loss rate appear to depend on temperature
and/or current?
5. Using confidence intervals, compare the mean heat loss rates among the four data
sets.
6. What mode of heat transfer do you believe is most important in heat loss from the
fuel cell? Why? Be quantitative.

Write Up:

Each team should prepare a single lab report.

Follow the general guidelines laid out in the handout on Writing Lab Reports. The report
must include, at a minimum, answers to each of the questions above.

Be concise. The final report cannot exceed four pages, doubled spaced, excluding all
figures, diagrams, and tables. Note that your raw data must be included as one of the
tables.