IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i7p3111-d1110736.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Critical Review of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Systems for Automotive Applications: Components, Materials, and Comparative Assessment

Author

Listed:
  • Rolando Pedicini

    (CNR ITAE—Istituto di Tecnologie Avanzate per l’Energia “Nicola Giordano”, 98126 Messina, Italy)

  • Marcello Romagnoli

    (Dipartimento di Ingegneria “Enzo Ferrari”, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
    Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca e per i Servizi nel settore della produzione, stoccaggio e utilizzo dell’Idrogeno H2—MO.RE., 41121 Modena, Italy)

  • Paolo E. Santangelo

    (Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca e per i Servizi nel settore della produzione, stoccaggio e utilizzo dell’Idrogeno H2—MO.RE., 41121 Modena, Italy
    Dipartimento di Scienze e Metodi dell’Ingegneria, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy)

Abstract

The development of innovative technologies based on employing green energy carriers, such as hydrogen, is becoming high in demand, especially in the automotive sector, as a result of the challenges associated with sustainable mobility. In the present review, a detailed overview of the entire hydrogen supply chain is proposed, spanning from its production to storage and final use in cars. Notably, the main focus is on Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) as the fuel-cell type most typically used in fuel cell electric vehicles. The analysis also includes a cost assessment of the various systems involved; specifically, the materials commonly employed to manufacture fuel cells, stacks, and hydrogen storage systems are considered, emphasizing the strengths and weaknesses of the selected strategies, together with assessing the solutions to current problems. Moreover, as a sought-after parallelism, a comparison is also proposed and discussed between traditional diesel or gasoline cars, battery-powered electric cars, and fuel cell electric cars, thus highlighting the advantages and main drawbacks of the propulsion systems currently available on the market.

Suggested Citation

  • Rolando Pedicini & Marcello Romagnoli & Paolo E. Santangelo, 2023. "A Critical Review of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Systems for Automotive Applications: Components, Materials, and Comparative Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-28, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:7:p:3111-:d:1110736
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/7/3111/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/7/3111/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mu, Yu-Tong & Weber, Adam Z. & Gu, Zhao-Lin & Tao, Wen-Quan, 2019. "Mesoscopic modeling of transport resistances in a polymer-electrolyte fuel-cell catalyst layer: Analysis of hydrogen limiting currents," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    2. İnci, Mustafa & Büyük, Mehmet & Demir, Mehmet Hakan & İlbey, Göktürk, 2021. "A review and research on fuel cell electric vehicles: Topologies, power electronic converters, energy management methods, technical challenges, marketing and future aspects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    3. Rico-Zavala, A. & Gurrola, M.P. & Arriaga, L.G. & Bañuelos, Jennifer A. & Álvarez-Contreras, L. & Carbone, A. & Saccà, A. & Matera, Fabio V. & Pedicini, R. & Álvarez, A. & Ledesma-García, J., 2018. "Synthesis and characterization of composite membranes modified with Halloysite nanotubes and phosphotungstic acid for electrochemical hydrogen pumps," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 163-172.
    4. Jain, P.C., 1993. "Greenhouse effect and climate change: scientific basis and overview," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 403-420.
    5. Muhammad Aziz, 2021. "Liquid Hydrogen: A Review on Liquefaction, Storage, Transportation, and Safety," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-29, September.
    6. Mariana Pimenta Alves & Waseem Gul & Carlos Alberto Cimini Junior & Sung Kyu Ha, 2022. "A Review on Industrial Perspectives and Challenges on Material, Manufacturing, Design and Development of Compressed Hydrogen Storage Tanks for the Transportation Sector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-32, July.
    7. Offer, G.J. & Howey, D. & Contestabile, M. & Clague, R. & Brandon, N.P., 2010. "Comparative analysis of battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid vehicles in a future sustainable road transport system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 24-29, January.
    8. Parthasarathy, Prakash & Narayanan, K. Sheeba, 2014. "Hydrogen production from steam gasification of biomass: Influence of process parameters on hydrogen yield – A review," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 570-579.
    9. Cannio, Maria & Righi, Stefania & Santangelo, Paolo E. & Romagnoli, Marcello & Pedicini, Rolando & Carbone, Alessandra & Gatto, Irene, 2021. "Smart catalyst deposition by 3D printing for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell manufacturing," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 414-422.
    10. Andersson, M. & Beale, S.B. & Espinoza, M. & Wu, Z. & Lehnert, W., 2016. "A review of cell-scale multiphase flow modeling, including water management, in polymer electrolyte fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 757-778.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ekaterina Kozhokar & Angelina Pavlets & Ilya Pankov & Anastasia Alekseenko, 2023. "Platinum–Nickel Electrocatalysts for a Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Cathode: Their Synthesis, Acid Treatment, Microstructure and Electrochemical Behavior," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-15, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Das, Himadry Shekhar & Tan, Chee Wei & Yatim, A.H.M., 2017. "Fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles: A review on power conditioning units and topologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 268-291.
    2. Sarfaraz Hashemkhani Zolfani & Ramin Bazrafshan & Fatih Ecer & Çağlar Karamaşa, 2022. "The Suitability-Feasibility-Acceptability Strategy Integrated with Bayesian BWM-MARCOS Methods to Determine the Optimal Lithium Battery Plant Located in South America," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(14), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Ramos, Ana & Monteiro, Eliseu & Rouboa, Abel, 2019. "Numerical approaches and comprehensive models for gasification process: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 188-206.
    4. Šimun Lončarević & Petar Ilinčić & Goran Šagi & Zoran Lulić, 2023. "Development of a Spatial Tier 2 Emission Inventory for Agricultural Tractors by Combining Two Large-Scale Datasets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-19, August.
    5. Jorgen Depken & Alexander Dyck & Lukas Roß & Sören Ehlers, 2022. "Safety Considerations of Hydrogen Application in Shipping in Comparison to LNG," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-20, April.
    6. Behiri, Walid & Belmokhtar-Berraf, Sana & Chu, Chengbin, 2018. "Urban freight transport using passenger rail network: Scientific issues and quantitative analysis," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 227-245.
    7. Youssef Amry & Elhoussin Elbouchikhi & Franck Le Gall & Mounir Ghogho & Soumia El Hani, 2022. "Electric Vehicle Traction Drives and Charging Station Power Electronics: Current Status and Challenges," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-30, August.
    8. Mediavilla, Margarita & de Castro, Carlos & Capellán, Iñigo & Javier Miguel, Luis & Arto, Iñaki & Frechoso, Fernando, 2013. "The transition towards renewable energies: Physical limits and temporal conditions," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 297-311.
    9. Ma, Yan & Hu, Fuyuan & Hu, Yunfeng, 2023. "Energy efficiency improvement of intelligent fuel cell/battery hybrid vehicles through an integrated management strategy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PE).
    10. Burra, K.G. & Hussein, M.S. & Amano, R.S. & Gupta, A.K., 2016. "Syngas evolutionary behavior during chicken manure pyrolysis and air gasification," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 408-415.
    11. Banerjee, Debarun & Kushwaha, Nidhi & Shetti, Nagaraj P. & Aminabhavi, Tejraj M. & Ahmad, Ejaz, 2022. "Green hydrogen production via photo-reforming of bio-renewable resources," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    12. Lin, Zi & Liu, Xiaolei & Lao, Liyun & Liu, Hengxu, 2020. "Prediction of two-phase flow patterns in upward inclined pipes via deep learning," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    13. Georgios Varvoutis & Athanasios Lampropoulos & Evridiki Mandela & Michalis Konsolakis & George E. Marnellos, 2022. "Recent Advances on CO 2 Mitigation Technologies: On the Role of Hydrogenation Route via Green H 2," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-38, June.
    14. José Manuel Andújar & Francisca Segura & Jesús Rey & Francisco José Vivas, 2022. "Batteries and Hydrogen Storage: Technical Analysis and Commercial Revision to Select the Best Option," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-32, August.
    15. Saeidfar, Asal & Yesilyurt, Serhat, 2023. "Numerical investigation of the effects of catalyst layer composition and channel to rib width ratios for low platinum loaded PEMFCs," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 339(C).
    16. Orsi, Francesco & Muratori, Matteo & Rocco, Matteo & Colombo, Emanuela & Rizzoni, Giorgio, 2016. "A multi-dimensional well-to-wheels analysis of passenger vehicles in different regions: Primary energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and economic cost," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 197-209.
    17. Chen, Kui & Badji, Abderrezak & Laghrouche, Salah & Djerdir, Abdesslem, 2022. "Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells degradation prediction using multi-kernel relevance vector regression and whale optimization algorithm," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 318(C).
    18. Ansari, Khursheed B. & Gaikar, Vilas G., 2019. "Investigating production of hydrocarbon rich bio-oil from grassy biomass using vacuum pyrolysis coupled with online deoxygenation of volatile products over metallic iron," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 305-318.
    19. Xie, Shaobo & Lang, Kun & Qi, Shanwei, 2020. "Aerodynamic-aware coordinated control of following speed and power distribution for hybrid electric trucks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    20. Wang, Qianqian & Tang, Fumin & Li, Bing & Dai, Haifeng & Zheng, Jim P. & Zhang, Cunman & Ming, Pingwen, 2022. "Investigation of the thermal responses under gas channel and land inside proton exchange membrane fuel cell with assembly pressure," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:7:p:3111-:d:1110736. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.