Distribution of the potential and current density in the electrode of the PEM fuel cell

Abstract

Purpose

Distribution of the electric potential and current density in the electrode of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

Design/methodology/approach

Multicomponent model based on Maxwell‐Stefan equations is used to formulate generalized Fick's law. Next, mass conservation laws for gas components and equation of continuity for current density vector are formulated.

Findings

The problem is expressed by three non‐linear partial differential equations in total molar contraction of the gas mixture, oxygen and water vapor concentration describing multicomponent Maxwell‐Stefan mass transport and fourth equation for electric potential distribution. The final system of partial differential equations describing the problem is highly non‐linear and mutually coupled not only directly but also through the non‐linear boundary condition and is solved by finite element method.

Research limitations/implications

There are some convergence problems for some sets of the material parameters. Only one part of the fuel cell was modeled.

Practical implications

This approach allows one to calculate all important parameters required to develop and design the practical systems as well to optimize the performance from the geometrical and material parameters point of view.

Originality/value

The presented approach combines distribution of mass transport using Maxwell‐Stefan model and electric potential described by Laplace equation.

Citation

Kurgan, E. and Schmidt, P. (2006), "Distribution of the potential and current density in the electrode of the PEM fuel cell", COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, Vol. 25 No. 1, pp. 207-219. https://doi.org/10.1108/03321640610634452