Enhancement of the safety, durability and reliability of marine fuel cells

• Project/Area Number: 17H03497
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Naval and maritime engineering
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: KITAHARA TATSUMI 九州大学, 工学研究院, 准教授 (50234266)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥16,250,000 (Direct Cost: ¥12,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,750,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥6,110,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,410,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥5,720,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,320,000)
• Keywords: 燃料電池 / 異常診断 / 安全性 / 塩害 / ガス拡散層 / 水管理 / 船舶海洋工学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The application of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) for marine vessels will be an effective means of reducing the environmental impact and solving energy crisis problems. The diagnosis of abnormal operational conditions is an important aspect of improving the reliability and durability of marine PEFCs, and helps to ensure long-term safe and stable operation. The present work investigates the effect of abnormal variations in the relative humidity of supplied gases on the resistance values in the equivalent circuit model using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis. An appropriate microporous layer coated gas diffusion layer is evaluated to enhance the cell performance under both low and high humidity conditions. The effect of sea salt (NaCl) contamination in the cathode air on the cell performance is also evaluated. Injecting distilled water after the initial detection of performance degradation due to NaCl contamination is effective at recovering the cell performance.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来から一般に適用されている撥水性マイクロポーラス層（MPL）付き拡散層の場合，耐ドライアップ性と耐フラッディング性を高めるための設計指針が異なっており，耐ドライアップ性を向上させたMPL付き拡散層は耐フラッディング性が低下することが問題である．本研究で考案した親水性カーボンナノチューブを撥水MPLに分散させたガス拡散層は，耐ドライアップと耐フラッディングの両特性を向上させることができる．さらに海上船舶特有の問題である海塩粒子の混入による発電性能低下の防止策を示した研究成果は，舶用燃料電池の安全性・信頼性・耐久性を向上させるうえで貢献できるものと考えられる．

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Performance Enhancement of Marine Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells under both Low and High Humidity Conditions (2019)
  • Author(s): 北原辰巳，中島裕典
  • Journal Title: Marine Engineering Volume: 54 Issue: 2 Pages: 160-167
  • DOI: 10.5988/jime.54.160
  • NAID: 130007627029
  • ISSN: 1346-1427, 1884-3778
  • Year and Date: 2019-03-01
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Assessing Degradation of Marine Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Fed with Methane Fuel (2019)
  • Author(s): 中島裕典，北原辰巳
  • Journal Title: Marine Engineering Volume: 54 Issue: 2 Pages: 168-173
  • DOI: 10.5988/jime.54.168
  • NAID: 130007627030
  • ISSN: 1346-1427, 1884-3778
  • Year and Date: 2019-03-01
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Impedance Diagnosis of Abnormal Operational Conditions to Enhance Reliability of Marine Fuel Cells (2019)
  • Author(s): 壇健太，中島裕典，北原辰巳
  • Journal Title: Marine Engineering Volume: 54 Issue: 2 Pages: 287-297
  • DOI: 10.5988/jime.54.287
  • NAID: 130007627004
  • ISSN: 1346-1427, 1884-3778
  • Year and Date: 2019-03-01
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Electrochemical Impedance Diagnosis of Abnormal Operational Condition for Reliability of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells in Marine Power Application -Sea Salt Contamination- (2019)
  • Author(s): Hironori Nakajima, Tatsumi Kitahara, Kenta Dan
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: 92-8 Issue: 8 Pages: 341-349
  • DOI: 10.1149/09208.0341ecst
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Influence of carbon deposition on the current distribution in an anode-supported planar solid oxide fuel cell in-situ assessed by segmented electrodes (2019)
  • Author(s): K. Sasaki, H. Nakajima, T. Kitahara
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: 91(1) Issue: 1 Pages: 549-554
  • DOI: 10.1149/09101.0549ecst
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Impedance Spectroscopy to Prevent Performance Degradation due to Sea Salt for Marine Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (2018)
  • Author(s): Tatsumi Kitahara, Hironori Nakajima, Kenta Dan
  • Journal Title: Marine Engineering Volume: 53 Issue: 3 Pages: 417-422
  • DOI: 10.5988/jime.53.417
  • NAID: 130006742846
  • ISSN: 1346-1427, 1884-3778
  • Year and Date: 2018-05-01
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Real-Time Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Diagnosis of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for Marine Power Applications (2018)
  • Author(s): Hironori Nakajima, Tatsumi Kitahara
  • Journal Title: Heat and Mass Transfer Volume: 54-8 Issue: 8 Pages: 2551-2558
  • DOI: 10.1007/s00231-017-2215-0
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Mass Transport Limitation in Inlet Periphery of Fuel Cells: Studied on a Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (2018)
  • Author(s): Ozgur Aydin, Tatsuhiro Ochiai, Hironori Nakajima, Tatsumi Kitahara, Kohei Ito, Yusuke Ogura, Jun Shimano
  • Journal Title: International Journal of Hydrogen Energy Volume: 43 Issue: 36 Pages: 17420-17430
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.07.030
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Gas Diffusion Media and NaCl Contamination of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells for Marine Applications (2018)
  • Author(s): Tatsumi Kitahara, Hironori Nakajima
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: 86-13 Issue: 13 Pages: 271-279
  • DOI: 10.1149/08613.0271ecst
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Effect of gas flow channel structure on the performance of an anode-supported honeycomb solid oxide fuel cell (2018)
  • Author(s): 中島裕典，村上隼三郎，北原辰巳
  • Journal Title: Transactions of the JSME (in Japanese) Volume: 84 Issue: 859 Pages: 17-00419-17-00419
  • DOI: 10.1299/transjsme.17-00419
  • NAID: 130006549737
  • ISSN: 2187-9761
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] AC Impedance Method to Detect Abnormal Operational Conditions for Marine Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (2018)
  • Author(s): 北原辰巳，中島裕典，壇健太
  • Journal Title: Marine Engineering Volume: 53 Issue: 2 Pages: 223-229
  • DOI: 10.5988/jime.53.223
  • NAID: 130006496664
  • ISSN: 1346-1427, 1884-3778
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] In-situ Measurement of Current Distribution in the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for Marine Power Applications (2018)
  • Author(s): 中島裕典，北原辰巳
  • Journal Title: Marine Engineering Volume: 53 Issue: 2 Pages: 230-236
  • DOI: 10.5988/jime.53.230
  • NAID: 130006496665
  • ISSN: 1346-1427, 1884-3778
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Three-dimensional flow channel arrangements in an anode-supported honeycomb solid oxide fuel cell (2017)
  • Author(s): Nakajima Hironori、Murakami Shunzaburo、Ikeda Sou、Kitahara Tatsumi
  • Journal Title: Heat and Mass Transfer Volume: 印刷中 Issue: 8 Pages: 2545-2550
  • DOI: 10.1007/s00231-017-2154-9
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Segmented Electrode Analysis of an Anode-Supported Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for Diagnosis of Marine Power Applications (2017)
  • Author(s): Hironori Nakajima, Tatsumi Kitahara, Eisaku Tsuda
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: 78-1 Issue: 1 Pages: 2109-2113
  • DOI: 10.1149/07801.2109ecst
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] In Situ Measured Spatial Temperature Variations for Improving Reliability of Numerical SOFC Tools (2017)
  • Author(s): Ozgur Aydin, Hironori Nakajima, Tatsumi Kitahara
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: 78-1 Issue: 1 Pages: 2191-2201
  • DOI: 10.1149/07801.2191ecst
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] In-situ Analysis of the In-plane Current Distribution Difference between Electrolyte-Supported Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cells by Segmental Electrodes (2017)
  • Author(s): Tatsuhiro Ochiai, Hironori Nakajima, Takahiro Karimata, Tatsumi Kitahara, Kohei Ito
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: 78-1 Issue: 1 Pages: 2203-2209
  • DOI: 10.1149/07801.2203ecst
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Diagnosis of Abnormal Operational Conditions and Performance Enhancement of Marine Fuel Cells (2019)
  • Author(s): Tatsumi Kitahara, Hironori Nakajima
  • Organizer: The 29th CIMAC World Congress on Combustion Engines Technology for Ship Propulsion, Power Generation, Rail Traction
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Electrochemical Impedance Diagnosis of Abnormal Operational Conditionfor Reliability of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells in Marine Power Application -Sea Salt Contamination- (2019)
  • Author(s): Hironori Nakajima, Tatsumi kitahara, Kenta Dan
  • Organizer: The 236th ECS Meeting
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Analysis of Carbon Deposition on an Anode-Supported Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell in-Situ Assessed By Segmented Electrodes (2019)
  • Author(s): Kohei Sasaki, Hironori Nakajima, Tatsumi kitahara
  • Organizer: The 236th ECS Meeting
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 分割電極によるアノード支持平板型SOFCの乾燥メタン直接供給加速劣化評価 (2019)
  • Author(s): 笹木康平，中島裕典，北原辰巳
  • Organizer: 第28回SOFC研究発表会
• [Presentation] ポアネットワークモデルによるPEFCマイクロポーラス層の構築 (2018)
  • Author(s): 陳鼎豊，中島裕典，北原辰巳，伊藤衡平
  • Organizer: 第23回動力・エネルギー技術シンポジウム
• [Presentation] Gas Diffusion Media and NaCl Contamination of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells for Marine Applications (2018)
  • Author(s): Tatsumi Kitahara, Hironori Nakajima
  • Organizer: AiMES 2018 Meeting
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 舶用固体高分子形燃料電池の耐フラッディング性向上に関する研究 (2018)
  • Author(s): 北原辰巳，中島裕典
  • Organizer: 第88回日本マリンエンジニアリング学術講演会
• [Presentation] メタン燃料を用いた平板型固体酸化物形燃料電池の面方向電流・劣化分布の解析 (2018)
  • Author(s): 中島裕典，北原辰巳，笹木康平
  • Organizer: 第88回日本マリンエンジニアリング学術講演会
• [Presentation] ポアネットワークモデルによるPEFCマイクロポーラス層の物質輸送評価 (2018)
  • Author(s): 陳鼎豊，中島裕典，北原辰巳，伊藤衡平
  • Organizer: 第59回電池討論会
• [Presentation] 燃料電池水挙動シミュレーションの技術構築とその検証 (2018)
  • Author(s): 山本恵一，大戸貴司，保岡悠，北原辰巳，中島裕典
  • Organizer: 第59回電池討論会
• [Presentation] Segmented Electrode Analysis of an Anode-Supported Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for Diagnosis of Marine Power Applications (2017)
  • Author(s): Hironori Nakajima, Tatsumi Kitahara, Eisaku Tsuda
  • Organizer: The 15th International Symposium on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] In Situ Measured Spatial Temperature Variations for Improving Reliability of Numerical SOFC Tools (2017)
  • Author(s): Ozgur Aydin, Hironori Nakajima, Tatsumi Kitahara
  • Organizer: The 15th International Symposium on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] In-situ Analysis of the In-plane Current Distribution Difference between Electrolyte-Supported Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cells by Segmental Electrodes (2017)
  • Author(s): Tatsuhiro Ochiai, Hironori Nakajima, Takahiro Karimata, Tatsumi Kitahara, Kohei Ito
  • Organizer: The 15th International Symposium on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 舶用固体高分子形燃料電池の異常診断に関する研究 (2017)
  • Author(s): 壇健太，北原辰巳，中島裕典
  • Organizer: 第87回日本マリンエンジニアリング学術講演会
• [Presentation] 舶用固体酸化物形燃料電池（SOFC）の電流分布および温度分布直接計測 (2017)
  • Author(s): 中島裕典，北原辰巳，津田英作
  • Organizer: 第87回日本マリンエンジニアリング学術講演会