Patent ID: 7695836

Claim:
A method for initial activation of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, comprising: applying current to the fuel cell; and performing an activating operation that comprises: a first driving operation for driving the fuel cell to output a first predetermined voltage, a first pausing operation for controlling the fuel cell in a no-load open-circuit voltage slate, a second driving operation for driving the fuel cell to output a second predetermined voltage, and a second pausing operation for controlling the fuel cell in the no-load open-circuit voltage state, wherein applying the current to the fuel cell is conducted under conditions that comprise an operating temperature between an ambient temperature and 55° C., a humidifying temperature of 55° C.±2, driving pressure is an ambient pressure, an amount of hydrogen flow is a theoretical amount of 0.1 A/cm 2 of current density×1.5, an amount of air flow is of 0.1 A/cm 2 of current density×2, a time is 2 minutes, and an Output voltage is OCV, the first driving operation is conducted under conditions that comprise an operating temperature between 55° C. and 65° C., a humidifying temperature of 55° C.±2, driving pressure is an ambient pressure, an amount of hydrogen flow is 1.0 A/cm 2 of current density×1.5, an amount of air flow is 1.0 A/cm 2 of current density×2, a time is 30 minutes, and an output voltage is 0.60±0.01 V/cell; the first pausing operation is conducted under conditions that comprise an operating temperature between 55° C. and 65° C., a humidifying temperature of 55 C±2, driving pressure is an ambient pressure, an amount of hydrogen flow is 1.0 A/cm 2 of current density×1.5, an amount of air flow is 1.0 A/cm 2 of current density×2, a time is 2 minutes, and an output voltage is OCV, the second driving operation is conducted under conditions that comprise an operating temperature between 55° C. and 65° C., a humidifying temperature of 55 C±2, driving pressure is an ambient pressure, an amount of hydrogen flow is 2.0 A/cm 2 of current density×1.5, an amount of air flow is 2.0 A/cm 2 of current density×2, a time is 30 minutes, and an output voltage is 0.40±0.01 V/cell, and the second pausing operation is conducted under conditions that comprise an operating temperature between 55° C. and 65° C., a humidifying temperature of 55 C±2, driving pressure is an ambient pressure, an amount of hydrogen flow is 2.0 A/cm 2 of current density×1.5, an amount of air flow is 2.0 A/cm 2 of current density×2, a time is 2 minutes, and an output voltage is OCV.