Nonisothermal PEM Fuel Cell

Application ID: 102461


This tutorial models the intercoupled electrochemical reactions, charge and species transport as well as heat transfer in a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell.

For the gas flow fields, straight channels are used on the hydrogen anode side, whereas a mesh structure is used on the air cathode side. The cell is cooled by a cooling fluid, flowing in a separate channel.

Periodic temperature boundary conditions are used for the top and bottom boundaries, thereby emulating a stacked cell configuration. Electroosmotic transport (drag) and permeation of water through the membrane are also included in the model.

This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products: