Calibrating Temperature Profiles on Current Collectors for Realistic Modelling of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

As development in numerical modelling has solved the problems in predicting of the results for voltage and current density for single-cell proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), the main challenge is to develop a reliable numerical model for realistic heat transfer inside of PEMFC. As numerical domain of simulation is limited contrary to real working conditions at experiment, modelling of heat transfer from PEMFC to ambient is the main limitation for development of the numerical model with realistic heat transfer and thus PEMFC stack analysis with precise heat transfer, especially at the terminals, where the end plates are positioned. In case of unrealistic boundary conditions and limitations of numerical simulation, an adequate cooling system cannot be developed as each cell generates heat and numerical models assume isothermal boundary condition at terminal of anode and cathode, which for consequence has ideal heat transfer in comparison to realistic conditions. To tackle this problem, an adiabatic isolated numerical model of PEMFC with coolant channels for heat transfer has been developed. Coolant channels geometry is set accordingly to the reaction inside of the membrane electrode assembly, which can be defined according to heat generation and the second law of thermodynamics, as heat transfer is predictable and stronger from inlet to outlet of anode, as the hydrogen is consumed. The novelty of this numerical model is its robustness and possibility to implement it in further development of PEMFC single cell and stack with precise regulation of temperature and accurate results of high complexity PEMFC-s performance.