Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
many efforts are aimed at significantly reducing Pt loading in electrocatalysts
[
55
,
56
]. Recent results evidence that the activity of Pt catalysts in cathode reaction
can be maintained or even enhanced by partially replacing the noble metal with the
cheaper nickel [
57
], while a new deposition method could offer promising
potentialities in terms of interfacial durability [
58
]. On the other hand, the deg-
radation mechanisms of the different components of MEA and in particular related
to Pt particle sintering [
59
] need to be continuously verified for future innovative
cheaper materials.
The most important cost abatement of BOP components will probably derive by
further developments in fuel cell membrane technology, especially in terms of
higher resistance to humidity level changes during power system operation [
15
]. In
particular these advances would permit to reduce dramatically the requirements for
the water management sub-system by eliminating some expensive devices. The
necessity to operate at high pressure should be suppressed as option, making the
turbine not necessary, but especially the plant could exclude membrane humidi-
fiers (impact on costs reduces from 7 to 3%) and hydrogen purge valves. These
actions have obvious positive effects not only on the overall cost, but also on the
reliability and simplicity of the FCS. On the other hand, the high costs of MEA,
bipolar plates of the stacks as well as of dedicated BOP components could benefit
from the potential of cost reduction trend related to larger volume of production.
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