Technical Paper
Investigation on Cold Start for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Stack
2021-04-06
2021-01-0738
Cold start remains a major obstacle to the commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), however, there are few studies on the cold start characteristics, especially at a complicated stack level. In this study, a novel layer-lumped numerical model with higher computational efficiency is proposed to investigate the cold start behavior of PEMFC stack, in which phase transition, heat transfer and electrochemical reaction are comprehensively considered. Besides, phase transition mechanisms are reconstructed based on the assumption that super-cooled water exists within the cell. With this model, the inconsistency of the stack temperature distribution and output performance is presented, some constant loading voltage strategies are investigated, and a linear variable controlling voltage strategy is developed.