Mathematical Modeling of Proton‐Exchange‐Membrane Fuel‐Cell Stacks

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert the chemical energy of a reaction directly into electrical energy. Among the several types of fuel cell, Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is a suitable choice for distributed energy sources. In this paper, a mathematical model of 750W PEMFC is developed. This model describes the behaviour of PEMFC under steady-state and transient conditions. Novel feature of this model is integration of all possible dynamic equations like dynamics of the charge equations like dynamics of the charge double layer capacitance, lumped fuel cell body dynamics and anode and cathode channel dynamics into a single model. The VI characteristic of PEMFC is obtained for different values of input parameters. The transient response of the PEMFC model over short and long-time periods is analyzed. Finally, the behaviour of the PEM fuel cell model under a resistive load