Modeling of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Abstract

This chapter outlines analytical and numerical methods for modeling proton exchange membrane fuel cells. To provide the fundamentals of fuel cell simulation, a monodimensional analytical (steady-state isothermal) model for reconstructing the cell polarization curve is presented and then applied to a case of practical interest. The monodimensional model is perfectioned by considering multiphase water transport affecting electrical conductivity properties of cell membrane. As an example, the impact of catalyst layer thickness is simulated under dry and humid conditions. A detailed mass transport model, based on the volume-averaging technique for the Darcy equation, is provided for an accurate simulation of fuel cell diffusion layers. The last part of this chapter concerns the analytical modeling of fuel cell dynamics. A physical-based approach, allowing for a fast and reliable quantitative interpretation of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy experimental data, is eventually provided.