SYMULATION OF MASS AND CHARGE TRANSFER IN PEMFC BASED ON LINE SOURCE CATALYST LAYER

A two-dimensional and isothermal model is presented for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell(:PE. In this model we apply the conservation equations for reactants species, proton and liquid water. Catalyst layers assume very thin and treated as an interface line source. The finite volume method and power law scheme is used for discretizing the differential equations. The results show that power density increases as current density increases and reaches its maximum value at high current density/low voltage (low efficiency). The maximum current density is produced at the channel inlet where reactants have the maximum concentrations. As the current density increases, the concentrations of reactants decrease along the catalyst layers.