Identifiability analysis of degradation model parameters from transient CO$_2$ release in low-temperature PEM fuel cell under various AST protocols

Kravos, Andraž (author), Kregar, Ambrož (author), Mayer, Kurt (author), Hacker, Viktor (author), Katrašnik, Tomaž (author)

The detrimental effects of the catalyst degradation on the overall envisaged lifetime of low-temperature proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (LT-PEMFCs) represent a significant challenge towards further lowering platinum loadings and simultaneously achieving a long cycle life. The elaborated physically based modeling of the degradation processes is thus an invaluable step in elucidating causal interaction between fuel cell design, its operating conditions, and degradation phenomena. However, many parameters need to be determined based on experimental data to ensure plausible simulation results of the catalyst degradation models, which proves to be challenging with the in situ measurements. To fill this knowledge gap, this paper demonstrates the application of a mechanistically based PEMFC modeling framework, comprising real-time capable fuel cell performance, and platinum and carbon support degradation models, to model transient CO$_2$ release rates in the LT-PEMFCs with the consistent calibration of reaction rate parameters under multiple different accelerated stress tests at once. The results confirm the credibility of the physical and chemical modeling basis of the proposed modeling framework, as well as its prediction and extrapolation capabilities. This is confirmed by an increase of only 29% of root mean square deviations values when using a model calibrated on all three data sets at once in comparison to a model calibrated on only one data set. Furthermore, the unique identifiability and interconnection of individual model calibration parameters are determined via Fisher information matrix analysis. This analysis enables optimal reduction of the set of calibration parameters, which results in the speed up of both the calibration process and the general simulation time while retaining the full extrapolation capabilities of the framework.

• Language: English
• Keywords: proton-exchange membrane fuel cell, platinum degradation, mechanistic modeling, transient real-time modeling, accelerated stress tests
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering; PEF - Faculty of Education
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 16 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss. 14, art. 4380
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-133748
• UDC: 544.478:669.231:004.94
• ISSN on article: 1996-1073
• DOI: 10.3390/en14144380
• COBISS.SI-ID: 72146691
• Publication date in RUL: 14.12.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Energies
• Shortened title: Energies
• Publisher: Molecular Diversity Preservation International
• ISSN: 1996-1073
• COBISS.SI-ID: 518046745

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 20.07.2021

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: staranje platine, mehanistično modeliranje, tranzientno modeliranje v realnem času, pospešeni testi staranja