Numerical Investigation of PEMFC Short-Circuit Behaviour Using an Agglomerate Model Approach

Abstract

With increasing interest in clean energy generation in the transportation sector, increasing attention has been given to polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cells as viable power sources. One issue, the widespread application of this technology faces, is the insufficient knowledge regarding the transient behaviour of fuel cells, for instance, following a short-circuit event. In this paper, an agglomerate model is presented and validated, which enables the transient simulation of short-circuit events to predict the resulting peak current and discharge of the double layer capacity. The model allows for the incorporation of detailed morphological and compositional information regarding all fuel cell components. This information is used to calculate the reaction rate, diffusional and convectional species transfer, and the momentum transport. It can be shown that the charge in the double layer capacitance of the fuel cell is key to predicting the peak current and its charge is dependent on the operating conditions of the fuel cell. Further, the effects of the magnitude of the double layer capacity, current rise time and stoichiometry on the dynamic behaviour of the fuel cell are investigated. It can be shown that the discharge of the double layer capacity proceeds from the membrane through the catalyst layer to the gas diffusion layer and that the stoichiometry of the gas supply does not significantly change the absolute peak value of the short-circuit current.