Dynamic model of a PEMFC stack suitable for component level modeling of a fuel cell based generator

Dynamic fuel cell stack models offering a good trade-off between computation time and realistic transient behavior are required for the optimized control of fuel cell based generators. This paper describes a model which dynamically considers the membrane dehydration by computing its hydration level and the flooding/mass transport phenomena caused by the gradual accumulation of liquid water in the cathode “gas diffusion layer”. The model’s output is shown to better fit the experimental stack central cell voltage than the averaged stack voltage, the error being less than 2%. Additional experimental results are required to properly validate the model water management behavior. Part of the voltage difference between the stack central cells and top/bottom cells has been attributed to the temperature variation along the stack. A threedimensional stack thermal model is being developed to take this temperature distribution into account.

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