Abstract
Hydrogen is one of the most promising energy vectors for achieving the decarbonization of the propulsion systems market. Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell system (PEMFCs) stand out in this panorama, thanks to reduced activation times and low temperatures of use, easily adapting to the needs of the sector. In this paper, a multi-phase, multi-component and non-isothermal 3D-CFD model is proposed to simulate the effects of PEMFC ageing, limiting the system durability due to slow membrane corrosion and loss of material performance and properties degradation, resulting in a reduced current density under equal voltage. The model is applied both in 1D and 3D frameworks implementing a validated model from literature, allowing to estimate the useful life of the cell as a function of parameters such as the degradation rate and the crossover rate. Simulations are carried out at different membrane thicknesses and for different membrane conductivities, using a hydrogen-fuelled serpentine-type PEM fuel cell. The study relevance lies in the possibility to investigate the critical aspects limiting PEMFC system durability, as well as the optimal conditions of use, and it allows to identify corrective design actions.
Highlights
Stringent emissions regulations are forcing a drastic change in the transportation sector
Comparing the results for the degradation rates of membrane thickness and ionic conductivity, we note that the latter is always higher, and conductivity reaches an unacceptable value before the membrane thickness degrades to a critical value. This negatively affects the cell performance and indicated the ions conduction through the membrane as the dominant ageing factor. This is verified for all voltages and it is due to the different degradation rates and variable values at begin of life (BoL)
The paper describes the development of a degradation model to simulate the performance degradation of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC) as a function of time
Summary
Stringent emissions regulations are forcing a drastic change in the transportation sector. [16] Karpenko-Jereb et al proposed a semi-empirical model where the degradation rates are a function of the cell crossover rate and changes in the physical-chemical properties of the polymer electrolyte membrane operating in the cell are considered.
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