The Development of Thin Film Thermocouple for Local Measurements in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

The temperature and humidity in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) are extremely important to the working performances of the cell. For real-time monitoring the temperature response in the cell, we developed a micro thin film thermocouple (TFTC) using micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) techniques. The thickness of the TFTC is 7 µm and the resolution is smaller than the rib-channel scale. The TFTC array was placed between the flow field plate and gas diffusion layer. The volt-ampere characteristics and the relationship between temperature and current had been tested on the ARBIN fuel cell test platform. It is found that the TFTC can real-time monitor the temperature with the rapid response speed and little disturbance. With the increase of the current, the voltage in the cell decreases and the temperature increases.