Numerical Investigation of PEMFC Short-Circuit Behaviour Using an Agglomerate Model Approach

Carsten Cosse, Marc Schumann, Florian Grumm, Daniel Becker and Detlef Schulz
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Carsten Cosse: Electrical Power Systems, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Bundeswehr Hamburg, 22043 Hamburg, Germany
Marc Schumann: Electrical Power Systems, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Bundeswehr Hamburg, 22043 Hamburg, Germany
Florian Grumm: Electrical Power Systems, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Bundeswehr Hamburg, 22043 Hamburg, Germany
Daniel Becker: Electrical Power Systems, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Bundeswehr Hamburg, 22043 Hamburg, Germany
Detlef Schulz: Electrical Power Systems, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Bundeswehr Hamburg, 22043 Hamburg, Germany

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-25

Abstract: With increasing interest in clean energy generation in the transportation sector, increasing attention has been given to polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cells as viable power sources. One issue, the widespread application of this technology faces, is the insufficient knowledge regarding the transient behaviour of fuel cells, for instance, following a short-circuit event. In this paper, an agglomerate model is presented and validated, which enables the transient simulation of short-circuit events to predict the resulting peak current and discharge of the double layer capacity. The model allows for the incorporation of detailed morphological and compositional information regarding all fuel cell components. This information is used to calculate the reaction rate, diffusional and convectional species transfer, and the momentum transport. It can be shown that the charge in the double layer capacitance of the fuel cell is key to predicting the peak current and its charge is dependent on the operating conditions of the fuel cell. Further, the effects of the magnitude of the double layer capacity, current rise time and stoichiometry on the dynamic behaviour of the fuel cell are investigated. It can be shown that the discharge of the double layer capacity proceeds from the membrane through the catalyst layer to the gas diffusion layer and that the stoichiometry of the gas supply does not significantly change the absolute peak value of the short-circuit current.

Keywords: agglomerate model; short-circuit; pemfc; transient behaviour (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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