Sensitivity Analysis of Mass Transport Properties of Gas Diffusion Layers of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

A prodigious amount of research has been conducted to study and measure the different properties associated with the mass transfer phenomenon inside the GDL like diffusivity, permeability, porosity, thickness. However, the functional relationship of these parameters with the limiting current; the effect of the individual factor over others; and the interaction, correlation and interdependence of these factors have been subject of little work. Using the experimental data presented in the literature, this paper presents a methodology developed based on a regression model to predict the limiting current from GDL properties. Statistical techniques like factorial design and response surface methodology are used to perform the sensitivity analysis of relevant parameters. The emphasis will be on factor screening to identify efficiently the parameters with most dominant effects. The results obtained will then be used to select the most effective GDL (among those characterized) based on multi criteria decision making tools like weighting sum method (WSM) and TOPSIS with entropy weight. The final goal is to elucidate the impact of each property, and hence to identify the most important parameters that need to be studied and characterized to engineer a better GDL with enhanced water management capabilities.