How do you know the stoichiometry ratio in fuel cell?

 The stoichiometric ratio in a fuel cell is the ratio of the reactants required for complete reaction and can be calculated based on the chemical reaction that occurs in the fuel cell.

In a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, the chemical reaction that occurs is:

2H2 (hydrogen) + O2 (oxygen) → 2H2O (water)

The stoichiometric ratio is the ratio of the number of oxygen molecules to the number of hydrogen molecules required for complete combustion. In this case, the stoichiometric ratio is 2:1, which means that two molecules of oxygen are required for every one molecule of hydrogen.

The stoichiometric ratio can also be calculated by balancing the chemical equation for the fuel cell reaction. Balancing the equation ensures that the number of atoms of each element is equal on both sides of the equation, which allows for the calculation of the stoichiometric ratio. In this case, balancing the equation would result in:

2H2 + O2 → 2H2O

The stoichiometric ratio can then be read directly from the balanced equation, which shows that two molecules of hydrogen react with one molecule of oxygen to produce two molecules of water.

The stoichiometric ratio can also vary depending on the type of fuel cell and the reaction that occurs. For example, in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), the stoichiometric ratio may be different due to the different reactions that occur in the fuel cell. It is important to understand the specific chemistry of the fuel cell and its operating conditions to determine the correct stoichiometric ratio.