CFD simulation of PEM fuel cells with STAR-CD

The CD adapco Group has recognized the growing interest in fuel cell technology and the use of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) as a means of developing cleaner and more efficient electric power unit for automotive and stationary applications. To this end, the Group's Engineering Services team in New York has been involved in an extensive program of collaborative research and development with the University of South Carolina (USC), striving to provide the industry with the best CFD analysis solutions in this area.

As a consequence of this work our engineers are now ready to demonstrate how STAR-CD can now help you better understand the physical phenomena that take place inside the fuel cell. Typical PEMFC issues that can be simulated and analyzed using CFD include:

• Temperature distribution in the cells, to aid cooling channel design so that the conductivity of the membrane is uniform and at a maximum value.
  
  
• Pressure balance between the hydrogen and air side of a PEM membrane, to help understand and avoid the sudden imbalances that can potentially damage cells.
  
  
• Management of water production by electrochemical reaction and gas humidification in complex flow fields, to understand and avoid build-up of water condensation and flooding that can prevent proper gas circulation and cell efficiency.
  
  
• Better understanding of the electrochemistry and its influence on fuel cell construction and efficiency.
  
  
• Better understanding of current and voltage distribution in the conducting solids and porous regions.

Some of the advantages of using STAR-CD in modeling PEMFC’s are:

• A powerful GUI with appropriate tools for PEMFC modeling.
  
  
• Total mesh flexibility making creation of optimum meshes for PEMFC very convenient.
  
  
• The equations for PEMFC performance analysis are seamlessly incorporated into the software and come with user-friendly GUI’s that allow electrochemical variables to be easily entered. These model equations are published in peer-reviewed literature, are widely referenced, have been verified by water balances and polarization data, and are used extensively in the analysis of fuel cells.

www.che.sc.edu/centers/PEMFC/vanzee_hp/publication.html
 

• Powerful post-processing capabilities allow users to view a wide range of electrochemical variables used in PEMFC analysis, such as local membrane conductivity and water activities, current densities, and over potentials.
  

If you would like to know more about how STAR-CD and the expertise of our Engineering Services teams can help you with fuel cell design issues, or would like to know more about our continuing research and development in this area, contact us at info@uk.cd-adapco.com (Europe) or starinfo@us.cd-adapco.com (USA)