Nonisothermal Through-Plane Transport Model of PEMFC with Local VLE Assumption

Abstract

A nonisothermal model of the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is developed with taking the through-plane heat and water transport into consideration. Local vapor-liquid equilibrium of water in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) is assumed. The steam pressure is determined only by temperature in the presence of condensed water. Only 1 oC temperature rise in GDL creates a steam flux corresponding to water generation at the current density of 0.74 A/cm2. Using stacked four PEM sheets, between which 20 μm thick thermocouples were inserted, the PEM temperature was measured in a cell having carbon paper GDLs, operated at 80 oC with hydrogen and oxygen supplied. About 1 oC rise in the PEM temperature was observed at a current density of 0.6 A/cm2. The effective thermal conductivity of the GDL was estimated from the experimental results. The temperature rise calculated by the one-dimensional numerical simulation well represents the experimental results.