Startup (and Shutdown) Model for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

This paper presents a model which goal is to simulate startups and shutdowns of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell, that is to say operation stages where a hydrogen-air front is propagating in the anode compartment from the inlet to outlet. This 2D model is based on a ID generic electrode model which kinetic and mass transport parameters were fitted by comparison to experimental voltammograms, polarization curves and CO2 emissions. This simulation tool yields results that are very close to the experimental ones obtained with a segmented cell. It can be used to better understand degradation mechanisms linked with hydrogen starvation events or to explore different mitigation strategies. (C) 2015 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.