This project involves a five-person team of seniors from the Engineering Division that integrated components and optimized operation of a complete PEM fuel cell system, including mass-flow controllers, humidifiers, load cells, and a 13-cell PEM stack.  The base equipment was provided by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory; additional equipment is being purchased by the CFCC at a funding level of approximately $2,000.  This complete, portable, 200-watt system now serves as a demonstration unit for the many tours that visit the CFCC, while allowing seniors the opportunity to learn to control, manipulate, and optimize fuel cells performance, and to understand the challenges of integrating a power source with peripheral components.

PEM system optimization project