Water transport through a PEM fuel cell: A one-dimensional model with heat transfer effects

• Published in: Chemical engineering science Vol. 64; no. 9; pp. 2216 - 2225
• Main Authors: Falcão, D.S., Oliveira, V.B., Rangel, C.M., Pinho, C., Pinto, A.M.F.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Catalysis; Catalytic reactions; Chemical engineering; Chemistry; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells; General and physical chemistry; Heat and mass transfer. Packings, plates; Heat transfer; Mass transfer; Mathematical modelling; Net water transfer coefficient; PEM fuel cell; Reactors; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Transport processes; Mathematical modelling; Transport processes; Net water transfer coefficient; Heat transfer; Mass transfer; PEM fuel cell; Relative humidity; Gaseous diffusion; Prediction; Density; Modeling; Steady state; Operating conditions; Design; Transport process; Drag; Proton exchange membrane fuel cells; Catalyst; Fuel cell
• ISSN: 0009-2509; 1873-4405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2009.01.049

Models play an important role in fuel cell design/development. The most critical problems to overcome in the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology are the water and thermal management. In this work, a steady-state, one-dimensional model accounting for coupled heat and mass transfer in a single PEM fuel cell is presented. Special attention is devoted to the water transport through the membrane which is assumed to be a combined effect of diffusion and electro-osmotic drag. The transport of heat through the gas diffusion layers is assumed to be a conduction-predominated process and heat generation or consumption is considered in the catalyst layers. The analytical solutions for concentration and net water transport coefficient are compared with recent published experimental data. The operating conditions considered are various cathode and anode relative humidity (RH) values at 80 ∘ C and 2 atm. The studied conditions correspond to relatively low values of RH, conditions of special interest, namely, in the automotive applications. Model predictions were successfully compared to experimental and theoretical I – V polarization curves presented by Hung et al. [2007. Operation-relevant modelling of an experimental proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Journal of Power Sources 171, 728–737] and Ju et al. [2005a. A single-phase, non-isothermal model for PEM fuel cells. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 48, 1303–1315]. The developed easy to implement model using low CPU consumption predicts reasonably well the influence of current density and RH on the net water transport coefficient as well as the oxygen, hydrogen and water vapour concentrations at the anode and cathode. The model can provide suitable operating ranges adequate to different applications (namely low humidity operation) for variable MEA structures.