Modeling a Two-Phase Control-Oriented Transient Model of a Single PEM Fuel Cell

This paper proposed a 1D non-isothermal control-oriented transient model of PEM fuel cell unit considering the two-phase water dynamics in gas flow channel, gas diffusion layer, catalyst layer and membrane. It is known that the accumulated liquid water in the gas flow channels can block the transport path in the gas diffusion layer for the reactant gases and degrade the performance of the fuel cell, while the proper water amount in the gas flow channels and other layers can help to maintain high proton conductivity in the membrane. The I-V curve and the change of gas concentrations, liquid water amount and temperature at specific operating conditions are obtained by sweeping the current of fuel cell. The voltage, gas concentration, temperature and water dynamic changes are investigated by applying the step change of the load current. The fuel cell performance affected by temperature and water dynamics is studied by the analysis of the simulation result.