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Proton exchange membrane (PEM) and solid oxide (SOFC) fuel cell based
vehicles-a review

Conference Paper · September 2017

DOI: 10.1109/ICITE.2017.8056893

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 2017 2nd IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Engineering

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) and Solid Oxide (SOFC) Fuel Cell Based
Vehicles-a Review

1
Zuraida Binti Awang Mat, 1Madya, 1Yap Boon Kar, 2Saiful Hasmady Bin Abu Hassan, 1Noor Azrina Binti Talik
1
Department of Electronic and Communication
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional
Jln Uniten-Ikram, Kajang, Malaysia
e-mail: zuraida.awangmat@gmail.com, KBYap@uniten.edu.my, Saifady@uniten.edu.my, Azrina@uniten.edu.my

Abstract–Interests in clean energy technologies have been electrolyte types are alkali [2], molten carbonate [3],
growing in recent years especially for transportation, portable phosphoric acid [4], proton exchange membrane (PEM) [5]
equipments as well as stationary power applications. Among and solid oxide [6]. The first three are liquid type electrolytes
the clean technology that gained high attention and investment and the last two are solid type [1]. As a new type of clean
to date is fuel cell, as a fuel cells is known to be able to produce energy device, the advantages of fuel cells such as high
electricity from a wide selection of fuels such as biogas, natural efficiency, quiet, environmentally friendly, and simple
gas, propane, methanol, hydrogen as well as diesel. In order to
structure, make it have a very broad application stationary
contribute to the development of this particular clean energy,
we review types of fuel cell particularly in transportation [7], portable equipment [8] and transportation [9].
application to date and discuss the challenges for sustainable In transportation, commercial fuel cell vehicles (FCVs)
Fuel Cells Vehicles (FCVs) in future development. In this are currently under development in automotive industries.
review paper, we also reviewed the development of FCVs of This is as a result of that, fuel cell vehicles are highly-
PEM and SOFC based, specifically. Although much progress efficient, have very low gas emissions or almost zero
has been done for PEM based vehicles thus far, the gas emission, and can be powered by hydrogen fuel which can
contamination is still a known bottleneck. As for SOFC, there be produced domestically. Thus, FCVs will help achieve
is a lot more room to be improved in order to adopt this type of environmental, public health, and energy security goal,
fuel cell in vehicle such as long time start-up time, insulation globally [10].
and heat dispersion. Nonetheless, SOFC has attained To date, there are two most popular clean energy
significant interests because it have zero emissions of pollutants
alternative approaches that are battery-powered Electric
to the environment and have high efficiency. Also, having high
temperature operation offers many advantages, such as
Vehicles (EVs) and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), which
flexibility of using various fuels, high electrochemical reaction are already commercialized. However, these two
rate, and tolerance for impurities. In addition, using ceramics technologies is not preferred by industries due to the
as its electrolyte can reduces the cost of manufacturing. following reasons:
a. Battery-powered EVs
Keywords-hydrogen fuel cell vehicle ; PEMFC in vehicles; i. The high initial cost, long charging
SOFC in vehicles (refueling) time , short driving range,
reduced passenger and cargo spaces have
I. INTRODUCTION proved to be a limitation of battery-
A fuel cell is well known to be a device that can produce powered EVs [11], [12].
electricity merely via chemical reaction. It is well known to b. HEVs were developed to overcome the
be a useful resource that could take abundant element in the disadvantages of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)
earth and convert it into any sort of power such as electricity, vehicles and the battery-powered EVs. [11]-[12]. Yet,
heat as well as water without producing any pollution. One the development of this technology is limited by:
significant difference of fuel cells compared to other clean ii. The high cost due to usage of motors
energy devices is that they produce electricity with almost iii. Energy storage system (ESS) issue. ESS of
zero-pollution since the hydrogen and oxygen deployed as HEVs demanded higher peak power while
reactant eventually combines to form a harmless end product, maintaining high energy density. A hybrid
which is water [1]. ESS required of batteries, Ultracapacitors
Scientists, researchers, inventors and developers all have (Cs), and/or fuel cells (FCs). These could
designed and developed many different kinds and sizes of be a complex option for advanced hybrid
fuel cells aiming for greater efficiency, and the technical vehicle ESS. Hence, this multiple energy
details of each kind vary [1]. However, many of the fuel cell storage system is quite a matter.
investor and developers are severely restricted by the choice iv. Issues related to warranty and reliability
of electrolyte. The design of electrodes, and the materials due to the lack of manpower in car
used to depend on the electrolyte. Today, the common workshops

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 v. Safety concerns due to the usage of high membrane (PEM). PEM is sandwiched in between electrodes,
voltage (about 650 V) motors/generators in while the hydrogen enters into the anode side of the fuel cell.
the vehicle system. This hydrogen is coming from a tank onboard the vehicle.
vi. Electromagnetic interference caused by Oxygen, contained in air, enter the cathode side. A catalyst
high-frequency and high-current whenever forces hydrogen molecule to split into electron and proton.
switching in the electric powertrain system The proton moves through the membrane and the electron
[12]. There is recent studies show that there follows an external circuit hence delivering current to the
is a cancer risk imposed due to extremely electric motor and other vehicle components. The proton and
low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic electron join again at the cathode side, and then recombine
radiation or magnetic field emitted [13-14]. with oxygen to form water molecules [18].
So far, there are two types of fuel cell adapted in vehicles
that are PEM [5] and SOFC [6]. This paper reviews these
two technologies in terms of operations and the advantages
and disadvantages of each fuel cell technology.
II. TECHNOLOGIES OF FUEL CELL VEHICLES (FCVS)
FCVs are basically a combination of automotive
engineering, electrical engineering, and fuel cell engineering
[15]. FCV is powered by an assembly of single fuel cells,
known as a fuel cell stack. This fuel cell stack is engineered
to hold few single cells to supply the necessary power for the
vehicle. Similar to a combustion engine, a fuel cell stack
generates power as long as the fuel is available. The
electricity produced by the fuel cell stack drives the electric
motor that powers the vehicle [16].
Figure 1 shows the mechanism of FCV produces
electricity to drive the car and how compressed hydrogen is
supplied to a fuel cell stack [16].

Figure 2. PEMFC Basic Operation [7].

As PEMFC is operate at the lowest temperatures of all

fuel cell systems, which give them two big advantages: they
are more inexpensive due to a lack of thermal-resilient
materials needed, and they take up less room since they don’t
require insulators or heat dissipation systems. These two
factors make them the most commercially viable for the
mass market.
However, fuel cell stack, air & fuel control, thermal &
water management and uncontaminated fuel supply (requires
Figure 1. Mechanism of a fuel cell in vehicle [17]. pure hydrogen) are major trial in the development of the
PEMFC technology for use in fuel cell vehicles applications
a. Hydrogen Storage & Mounting Methods [19]. The issues with air supply system can strongly affected
i. High-pressure hydrogen tank the overall system efficiency.
High compressed hydrogen gas in low-
temperature is stored in a special high-
pressure and heat-insulating tank which
mounted on the vehicle.

ii. Hydrogen absorbing alloy

Hydrogen is absorbed into a special alloy
which is also mounted on the vehicle and is
retrieved from this alloy by heating [17].
FCV technology normally use PEM types of fuel cell.
For the reason that having low temperature operation and
faster response, PEM is generally regarded as the fuel cell of
choice used for automotive propulsion applications [18].
Figure 2 shows that each fuel cell is basically composed
of an anode, a cathode as well as a proton exchange Figure 3. SOFC Basic Operation in automotive application [20].

124
 Recently there has been some interest in using SOFC for which produced so far, this components pose no additional
propulsion applications in automotive applications [20].Each risks. Both the fuel cell stack and battery pack are
cell of an SOFC consists of an anode and a cathode with an electrically insulated from the vehicle’s metal body and are
electrolyte in between. Air is supplied to the cathode side sealed separately in metal cases. In case of safety regarding
and fuel to the anode side. At the cathode, oxygen is reduced high voltage hazards, there are a number of safety systems
to oxygen ions. These ions diffuse through the electrolyte to designed into the vehicle to prevent high voltage hazards and
the anode side where they electrochemically oxidize the fuel. high-voltage circuits are also batch with orange color-coded
The by-products of this reaction are electrons, which pass and posted together with warnings to advice of their presence
through a circuit to produce electricity and water (if the fuel [29].
used is pure hydrogen) [20]. SOFC distinguishes itself For FCVs, hydrogen fuel is stored at high pressures (up
among other fuel cell types by the use ceramic electrolyte, to 70 MPa, 10,000psi) in tanks which is much stronger than
which reduces the cost of manufacturing. typical gasoline fuel tank in ICE car. In case of rupture or
SOFCs can work with a different kind of fuels, such as suddenly burst, the hydrogen storage tanks are designed to
hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane and also the withstand twice the maximum pressure to avoid this kind of
combinations of these. Fuels with longer carbon chains are mishap. The tanks undergo extreme and strict testing to
possible, with pre-reforming outside the anode [20, 21]. make sure the safety of the vehicle under severe conditions
Oxygen is reduced at the cathode. The oxygen ions are to meet the safety standards for crash safety. Sensors are
transferred through the electrolyte, but the electrons are located throughout the vehicle and, accordingly to the safety
prevented from passing through the electrolyte [22]. Table 1 systems, to ensure that the driver and the vehicle are safe in
shows the comparison between PEMFC and SOFC the event of a hydrogen leak during the accident [30].
technologies.
TABLE I. COMPARISON OF USING PEMFC AND SOFC
III. CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES IN FCVS
FUEL CELLS VEHICLES ( FCVS)
There are some issues related to FCVs, namely the Comparison between PEMFC and SOFC
availability of FCVs worldwide, the facility of refueling,
storage of hydrogen, the cost production and transportation
of hydrogen and safety on-off roads. PEMFC SOFC
x Availability
Most automakers have plan to introduce FCVs to the 1-High 1-Can use CO +
commercial market in the 2015-2017 timeframe. It was efficiency hydrogen as fuel
predicted that, by 2020, automakers expect to manufacture 2- Fuel without any issues
tens thousands units of FCVs. As of today, about 300 units flexibility 2-Current
of FCVs have been filled at public and private hydrogen 3- Smaller and technology can
stations [15]. Advantages less expensive produces cheaper
Toyota has launched their first commercial hydrogen car than materials and lighter insulators
using PEMFC as “Mirai: The Future". Hydrogen fuel cell required for (ceramics)
vehicles run for up to 650 kilometers on a full tank. SOFC 3- Better thermal
x Efficiency of the System management
FCV requires production, transportation as well as the
condensation of hydrogen gas. These processes are
demanded for a high cost as well as energy-intensive. 1- Requirement
Nevertheless, fuel cells can generate electricity of pure
efficiently from a number of fuels and hydrogen can be hydrogen with 1- Long start-up
produces from a number of diverse domestic resources, no CO which
including biogas [24], natural gas [25], propane [26], times of SOFC
technically
methanol [27], and renewable resources like water, using systems
Disadvantages challenging,
electrolysis [10]. 2-Insulation and heat
complex and
x Safety expensive. dispersion
It is ensured that automotive manufacturers are 2- Complex
committed to build FCVs that are as safe as or safer than that water and
of conventional vehicles by meeting the standards set by the thermal
Society of Automotive Engineers and other standard management
development organizations. FCVs have crucial safety
systems designed to protect users in case of an accident [11, IV. CONCLUSION
28].
It also similar in the case of the risk of the fuel cell stack Here, we reviewed the development of FCVs of PEM
and high-voltage battery pack in FCEVs and based on FCVs and SOFC based. Although much progress has been done for
PEM based vehicles thus far, the gas contamination is still a

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