Feasibility Assessment of Fast Numerical Simulations for Real-Time Monitoring and Control of PEM Fuel Cells

Abstract

Computational models that ensure accurate and fast responses to the variations in operating conditions, such as the cell temperature and relative humidity (RH), are essential monitoring tools for the real-time control of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. To this end, fast cell-area-averaged numerical simulations are developed and verified against the present experiments under various RH levels. The present simulations and measurements are found to agree well based on the cell voltage (polarization curve) and power density under variable RH conditions (RH = 40%, RH = 70%, and RH = 100%), which verifies the model accuracy in predicting PEM fuel cell performance. In addition, computationally feasible reduced-order models are found to deliver a fast output dataset to evaluate the charge/heat/mass transfer phenomena as well as water production and two-phase flow transport. Such fast and accurate evaluations of the overall fuel cell operation can be used to inform the real-time control systems that allow for the improved optimization of PEM fuel cell performance.

Keywords

PEM fuel cell / Relative humidity / Real-time control / Gas diffusion layer / Catalyst layer

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