Multi-Physics, Multi-Scale Modeling in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

Abstract

In recent years, the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) has emerged as a promising clean energy conversion device for various applications. One key research direction requiring significant breakthrough in order to alleviate performance limitations in PEFCs involves enhanced understanding of the coupled multi-physics transport phenomena and interfacial processes catering over multiple length scales in the constituent porous components. Multi-physics, multi-scale modeling is envisioned to hold the key toward enhanced understanding of the underlying structure-transport-performance interactions. In this article, a brief overview of several major aspects pertaining to the multi-physicochemical modeling of electrochemical reaction kinetics, species transport, two-phase heat and water transport, and phase change in the PEFC is presented.