Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Modeling – a Pore-scale Perspective

Abstract

Fuel cells, being highly energy efficient, environmentally benign, and minimally noisy, are widely considered as the 21st century energy-conversion devices for mobile, stationary, and portable power. Unlike the conventional Carnot cycle based energy conversion devices with intermediate heat and mechanical energy generation, fuel cells convert the chemical energy of a fuel directly into electricity. Among the several types of fuel cells, the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) has emerged as the most promising power source for a wide range of applications.