FUEL CELL

gPROMS Fuel Cell high-fi delity predictive modelling of fuel cell, stack and system

Developers of fuel cell components and systems face many challenges in getting their products to market.

The complex interactions within the fuel cell itself and between stack and system – coupled with time-to-market pressures and the associated technology risk – make modelling an essential tool.

PSE’s new gPROMS Fuel Cell product is a step- change in the tools available for high-fi delity predictive modelling of PEMFC and SOFC fuel cell components and systems.

CHALLENGES

Challenges facing developers of different cell type include:

■ How to interpret experimental data using a physically-realistic framework (typically from single-cell data)

■ Estimation of key model parameters from experimental data ■ Accurate prediction of current density distribution over the stack ■ Water management (PEMFC)

■ Optimal integration of the cell with fuel processing and other systems

■ Operational issues such as temperature dynamics on change in power demand, optimisation of start-up, etc.

■ Control system design

■ Optimisation of stack size vs nominal and maximum power output

■ Deactivation and stack longevity ■ Optimisation of platinum load.

Core MEA model

Fuel

Air

2-D or 3-D single-layer model Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4