Coupled Thermal and Water Management in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

Abstract

Thermal and water management are intricately coupled in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. In this paper, we simulate fuel cell performance and account for nonisothermal phenomena. The transport of water due to a temperature gradient and its associated effects on performance are described, with the increase of reactant dilution by the water vapor partial pressure being the most dominant. In addition, simulations are undergone to find the optimum operating temperature and maximum power density as a function of external heat-transfer coefficient. The shape of the optimization curves and the magnitudes of the nonisothermal phenomena are also detailed and explained.