Fuel cell performance estimation device

A fuel cell performance estimation device comprising:

• (A) a first means configured to sequentially acquire at least a voltage V[i] and a current I[i] of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell at a time[i] and store the V[i] and the I[i] in a memory;
• (B) a second means configured to calculate a catalyst potential Vcat[i] of a cathode of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell at the time[i] using at least the V[i],
• calculate an effective surface utilization factor θact[i] of noble metal-based catalyst particles contained in the polymer electrolyte fuel cell at the time[i] using the Vcat[i], and
• store the Vcat[i] and the θact[i] in the memory;
• (C) a third means configured to calculate an electrode catalyst surface area AECS[i] at the time[i] and an activity SA[i] per surface area of the noble metal-based catalyst particles at the time[i] using the V[i], the Vcat[i], and/or an integration time of power generation of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell and store the AECS[i] and the SA[i] in the memory;
• and
• (D) a fourth means configured to calculate an estimated value IVest[i] of IV characteristics representing a relationship between the I[i] and an estimated voltage Vest[i] of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell using the θact[i], the AECS[i], and the SA[i] and store the IVest[i] in the memory.