Polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack thermal model to evaluate sub-freezing startup

The focus of this research is the development and use of a sub-freezing thermal model for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack. Specifically, the work has focused on the generation of a model in which the fuel cell is separated into layers to determine an accurate temperature distribution within the stack. Unlike a lumped model, which may use a single temperature as an indicator of the stack's thermal condition, a layered model can reveal the effect of the endplate thermal mass on the end cells, and accommodate the evaluation of internal heating methods that may mitigate this effect.