Technical Papers and Presentations

This computational implementation presents a new strategy of coupling two 3D models to satisfy the requirements of the comprehensive model of a unitary Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell, including its internal geometries and constitutive materials, as well as distinct physical and chemical processes. Those different simultaneous processes required computational effort and the solution was the coupling of two complementary models to the overall modeling of fuel cell. A prototype of a unitary PEM fuel cell of 144cm² of geometric area was operated at laboratory and the numerical model was validated. The model is robust and useful as a tool for design and optimization of PEM fuel cells in a wide range of operating conditions.