In Proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) water management plays a crucial role to ensure high performance and to limit degradation. Therefore, a reliable and accurate humidification and heat recovery system is necessary. At present, many research activities deal with modelling of the heat and mass transfer between cathode exhaust and fresh airflows, in order to find the best compromise between performance and cost. In collaboration with the MRT Fuel Cell Lab, we work on:
– Optimization, design and prototyping of innovative membrane and desiccant based devices for air humidification, heat recovery and water vapour storage.
– Experimental test of commercial and innovative devices.