(Invited) Development of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Models for Transportation Applications Using Sequence of Direct Simulation Methods

Abstract

Augmentation of fuel cell performance at high current densities, particularly under automotive application, is important to improve the overall power density and to reduce the cost of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) systems. Primarily, the fundamental non-linearity of the equations governing PEMFC performance on a three-dimensional model necessitates iterative solutions. As of now, mass transport over-potential is a major barrier to achieving high performance at a high current density. Condensed water, specifically in the gas diffusion layer, decreases oxygen transport to the oxygen reduction reaction area. Experimental investigations of oxygen transport are limited by an inability to resolve the water saturation-dependent properties.The alternative approach to comprehend and overcome transport resistances, predominantly inside the gas diffusion layer, is to use advanced mathematical modeling. The timeline of direct simulation techniques using in PEMFC will be presented including the Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) which is an alternative advanced modeling technique [1-12]. This LBM can be implemented into existing models to visualize the transports inside the structure of microscale geometries, such as: a gas diffusion layer (GDL), micro porous layer (MPL), and catalyst layer (CL). The study where the goal was to couple the conventional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model in the macroscale geometry and LBM in the microscale geometry using the technique called co-simulation will be presented. The understanding of local kinetic activity inside nanoscale CL implemented into the model will also be discussed. The completion of this model development can enhance the potential capability of a model-based investigation of mass and heat transports to find solution of designs and operational conditions in the PEMFC for automotive applications.