Improved electrochemical CO removal via potential oscillations in serially connected PEM fuel cells with PtRu anodes

The polarization performance of two PEM fuel cells (with anode PtRu/C catalyst) connected either in parallel or serial, was compared to the performance of a single PEM fuel cell in galvanostatic operation using CO-free H₂ or 200 ppm CO-containing H₂ stream as anode feed at ambient temperature. Spontaneous potential oscillations were observed experimentally for the coupled configuration with two cells connected in serial or parallel using CO-containing H₂ feed at various current densities applied. The potential oscillations are ascribed by the dynamic CO adsorption and subsequent electrochemical CO oxidation on the anode. The measured anode outlet CO concentration was found to decrease with the order: single cell > parallel cells > serial cells at various current densities and anodic flow rates. The low anode outlet CO concentration (<10 ppm) at high current densities applied showed that CO in the anode feed was removed efficiently by the electrochemical CO oxidation occurring on the PtRu anode. The anode outlet CO concentration decreased as follows: a single cell > the parallel cells > the serial cells at broad range of current densities and anodic flow rates. The highest CO conversion and the highest average power output at equal hydrogen recovery degree were obtained with serially coupled fuel cells.