Open-Source and Multi-Fluid Numerical Modeling of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Abstract

Numerical modeling is a powerful tool for the virtual design and optimization of the next-generation proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). While almost all of them are not open-source, which causes inconvenience and limits. In this paper, a three-dimensional, multi-component, multi-fluid, open-source model developed in the commercial CFD package (CFX) is used to investigate the species’ transport in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The model includes a complete fuel cell with both the seven-layer membrane-electrode-assembly and the gas flow channels and bipolar plates, which account for all major transport phenomena. In the porous medium, liquid water transport is dominant by the capillary pressure gradient; momentum loss describes the Darcy equation; and mass transfer between phases by a nonequilibrium phase change model. Multi-component gas phases are governed by convection and diffusion. Moreover, diffusion is the predominant transport mechanism for dissolved water between the membrane and catalyst layers. Consequently, the code of this model is shared on GitHub to provide a starting point and inspire further development and optimization.