Source: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2018/08/20180830-talke.html A team from Daimler, ZBT GmbH and Forschungszentrum Jülich has now systematically analyzed the influence of NO, NO2, NH3 and SO2 on automobile fuel cells under realistic conditions. In total, more than 12 fuel cell stacks accumulated a total of more than 2500 h with four air contaminants. In a paper in Journal of Power Sources, the researchers report that the negative affects can be significant. Among their findings were that spontaneous power losses of about 5% and more than 10% in special situations from NOx can be expected for fuel cell vehicles in urban areas. NH3 will lead to a spontaneous power loss of less than 3%, but causes a progressive irreversible damage, shortening lifetime. . . . I've wondered to what extent fuel cell toxins could come in via the oxygen side. Fueling with both pure hydrogen and oxygen makes sense although the tank weight and total volume would go up but at least the fuel cell could last longer. Another approach, an air intake filter, say activated carbon to trap the pollutants. Bob Wilson
