Two-dimensional agglomerate model for the cathode of a PEM fuel cell.

摘要

Mathematical modelling for PEM fuel cell has been an area of interest in fuel cell research. Based on a variety of resources, a detailed 2-Dimensional cross-the-channel agglomerate model has been developed and performed on a commercial software---FemlabRTM.; In this work, mass transport of gas mixture in the gas diffusion layer and catalyst layer as well as charge transport of electron and proton in the cathode were modelled. This model is able to predict cathode overpotential, which is a major loss in a fuel cell. Oxygen reaction rate and its distribution as well as current density distribution have been illustrated by the simulation. The model prediction revealed that electron transport plays an important role in determining electrode reaction rate.; Parametric studies illustrated the influence of various catalyst layer microstructural parameters on the cathode performance. The simulation provided insight on the significance of physical processes for oxygen reduction in the cathode. The model developed in this thesis is expected to be a powerful tool for engineering optimized electrode structures that lead to efficient fuel cell performance.