Species Transport in the Gas Diffusion Layers of a PEM
Application ID: 260
This example focuses on the species transport within the gas diffusion layers (GDLs) of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The geometry models a cell with two adjacent flow channels of different pressures, a situation that may occur in a cell with serpentine flow channels, or in a cell using an interdigitated flow field design. The model uses current balances, mass transport equations (Maxwell-Stefan diffusion for reactants, water and nitrogen gas), and momentum transport (Darcy’s law for the gas flows) to simulate a PEM fuel cell’s behavior.
This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products:
however, additional products may be required to completely define and model it. Furthermore, this example may also be defined and modeled using components from the following product combinations:
The combination of COMSOL® products required to model your application depends on several factors and may include boundary conditions, material properties, physics interfaces, and part libraries. Particular functionality may be common to several products. To determine the right combination of products for your modeling needs, review the Specification Chart and make use of a free evaluation license. The COMSOL Sales and Support teams are available for answering any questions you may have regarding this.