Chemical Hydride Powered and Air Breathing PEMFC for UAVs

Abstract

In this study, hydrogen gas generation for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) was provided using precious catalysts. The critical catalyst concentration value and the effects of the catalyst amount and the sodium borohydride concentration on the hydrogen production rate were analyzed. PEMFC are one of the good candidates for powering unmanned air vehicles due to their low weight and high durability. They can provide longer flying times than lithium ion batteries. Our group manufactured a PEMFC producing 150 W power for unmanned air vehicles and optimized its performance. Moreover, the influence of the compression and the purge valve on and off time on fuel cell performance was investigated.