The development of a cylindrical proton exchange membrane fuel cell with an integrated metal-hydride container

A cylindrical proton exchange membrane fuel cell with an integrated metal-hydride container (PEMFC-IM) is developed for portable applications such as cell phones or laptop computers. In order to prevent the cylindrical PEMFC from overheating at a high current density, a direct heat exchange method, through contact with metal-hydride, is used. A polarization curve and a long-term performance test are performed, both with and without the heat-exchange effect. The maximum power density of the PEMFC-IM is 275 mW cm^-2, which is approximately 31% higher than the previous system without an integrated hydride storage system. The gas diffusion layer (GDL) temperature also decreases at the high current density. The heat exchange effect of the PEMFC-IM is shown more clearly in the long-term performance tests.