A look inside the high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell testing station at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Photo Courtesy LANL
LANL NEWS RELEASE
A new high-temperature polymer fuel cell that operates at 80-160 degrees Celsius, with a higher-rated power density than state-of-the-art fuel cells, solves the longstanding problem of overheating, one of the most significant technical barriers to using medium-and heavy-duty fuel cells in transportation vehicles such as trucks and buses.
Because current fuel cells operate at 60-80 C, they require large radiators and air intakes in order to stay cool enough to operate. To resolve this issue, Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists developed a new polymer fuel cell that operates at higher temperatures.
“Fuel cells are an energy conversion devices that produce electricity by electrochemically combining…