A segmented model for studying water transport in a PEMFC

Water management plays an important role in the durability and efficiency of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). In this study, a single cell is modeled as a lumped model consisting of 15 interconnected segments, which are linked according to the flow field patterns of the anode and cathode but they are treated as lumped elements individually. Parameters of this model were calibrated based on neutron radiography experimental results obtained at the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR). The model can be used to predict distributions of current density, water content in the membrane, relative humidity (RH) in the flow channels, and water accumulation in the gas diffusion layer (GDL).