Proposal of a New Technique to Obtain Some Fuel Cell Internal Parameters Using Polarization Curve Tests and EIS Results

Abstract

Nowadays, fuel cells are becoming a real alternative to power several applications, from portable electronic devices to cars, buses, or stationary facilities. Usually, a basic analysis of a fuel cell includes polarization curve test, as this method is excellent to characterize the behavior of a fuel cell as a whole, because it integrates all the different physical process that happens inside in current and voltage signals. On the other hand, it does not provide accurate information of these physical processes as individual. In this research, we relate the results of polarization curve test and EIS (Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy) test through two mathematical expressions. Then, using equivalent electrical circuit elements to model EIS curves, and applying the developed expressions, we correlate the EIS and polarization curve results, allowing us to interpret the physical meaning of these circuit elements and obtain a deeper vision of the internal processes that happen.