"Online Monitoring of CO Oxidation in PEM Fuel Cell - Combining the Use of Isotopic Measurement and SIFT-MS Negative Reagent Ions," by Dr Thomas Bacquart, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, United Kingdom
The proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is the key component of the fuel cell electric vehicle. The hydrogen feeding the fuel cell may contain contaminants such as carbon monoxide (CO). Understanding the behavior of CO in PEM fuel cells is extremely important to improving the lifetime and durability of the fuel cells. However, it has been impossible to monitor real-time oxidation of CO into CO2 onto the PEM fuel cell surface due to technical complexity.
The UK National Physical Laboratory (NPL) developed an approach using 13 CO contaminated hydrogen to monitor real-time 13 CO2 and 12 CO2 by SIFT-MS negative reagent ions. This presentation highlights the NPL setup, the calibration of the measurement in humidified atmosphere, and the first isotopic measurements for fuel cell research.
Dr Thomas Bacquart is a Senior Research Scientist in the Gas and Particulate Measurement Group at the United Kingdom’s National Physical Laboratory, based in Teddington to the west of London, UK. At last year’s user meeting, he presented his group’s research on trace detection of chromatographically challenging volatiles in hydrogen fuel.
Be sure to attend this Syft App Talk on a groundbreaking application of SIFT-MS that supports sustainability efforts!