What does pems energy storage mean

What is a PEM fuel cell?

Airbus teamed up with DLR to test a fuel cell emergency power system of 20 kW for ATRA research aircraft (A320) . The core component of a PEM fuel cell is the Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA), which is composed of a polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between the anode and cathode electrodes.

What are PEM materials?

PEMs can be made from either pure polymer membranes or from composite membranes, where other materials are embedded in a polymer matrix. One of the most common and commercially available PEM materials is the fluoropolymer (PFSA) Nafion, a DuPont product.

How is hydrogen stored in PEM fuel cells?

Hydrogen storage has been an active topic of research for decades. Several storage methods have been proposed for PEM fuel cells, such as compressed tanks, cryogenic method, chemical storage, and hydrides. Compressed hydrogen is possibly the most common method for FCV hydrogen storage at present.

Which elements are used in PEM fuel cells?

Examples of these approaches are given in the following sections. As mentioned above, platinum is by far the most effective element used for PEM fuel cell catalysts, and nearly all current PEM fuel cells use platinum particles on porous carbon supports to catalyze both hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction.

Why do PEM fuel cells adsorb more oxygen?

The authors attribute this dramatic performance increase to modifications to the electronic structure of the surface, reducing its tendency to bond to oxygen-containing ionic species present in PEM fuel cells and hence increasing the number of available sites for oxygen adsorption and reduction.

Are PEM systems reliable?

Early PEM systems were, however, unreliable and plagued with leakages and contamination. The systems installed in Gemini spaceships had an operational lifetime of just 500 hrs, although this was considered suitable. Another issue was the water management systems, which are required to keep the membrane hydrated to the correct extent.