SIMULATION OF IV CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOSP HORIC-ACID FUEL-CELL ANODE

Effects of various microstructural and kinetic parameters of the catal yst layers on the performance of PAFC anode were analyzed using theore tical I-V equations that were derived by Vogel et al. Parameters chose n were platinum loadings (W(Pt)), thickness of catalyst layers (L), ex change current densities (i0), coverage of adsorbed hydrogen on platin um at equilibrium potential (theta0), H-2 concentration, and CO concen tration. In the range of parameter values chosen for simulating real c ell catalyst layer, electrode current density increased in proportion with (W(Pt))1/2, (i0)1/2, (L)-1/2 and better performance was obtained on the electrode having large value of theta0. The performance decline d steeply by the CO contamination in the fuel gas below 1% level.