Accueil > Science et Technologie > Revue des Energies Renouvelables > Volume 14 > Numéro 01

Effect of temperature and water content on the performance of PEM fuel cell

Belkhiri Z. , Ben Moussa H., Zeroual M. , Zitouni B.

A fuel cell is a promising energy conversion system that will eventually
become the first-choice for producing power because of its clean or zero-emission nature.
A steady-state, two-dimensional mathematical model with a complete set of governing
equations valid in different components of a PEM fuel cell was developed to illustrate the
temperature and water content effects on proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell
performance. This model considers the transport of species and water along the porous
media : gas diffusion layers (GDL) anode and cathode, and the membrane of PEMFC fuel
cell. To improve the kinetics of electrochemical reactions at the electrodes and thus
reduce the activation overvoltage : increase the gas diffusion electrodes reduce the drop
ohmic, especially in the proton conductive membrane through an increase in ionic
conductivity. The electrochemical performance of a fuel cell will be strongly depend
temperature and water content.