A dynamic two-phase flow model of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

A dynamic two phase flow model for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells is presented. The two dimensional along-the-channel model includes the two phase flow of water (gaseous and liquid) in the porous diffusion layers and in the catalyst layers, as well as the transport of the species in the gas phase. Moreover, proton and water transport in the membrane and the oxygen reduction reaction in the cathodic catalyst layer is accounted for. The discretisation of the resulting flow equations is done by a mixed finite element approach. Based on this the transport equations for the species in each phase are discretised by a finite volume scheme. The coupled mixed finite element/finite volume approach gives the spatially resolved water and gas saturation and the species concentrations. In order to describe the charge transport in the fuel cell the Poisson equations for the electrons and protons are solved by using Galerkin finite element schemes