The project: PEMDesign

Model based design of fuel cells and fuel cell systems

The research network PEMDesign is a collaboration that is funded by the German Federal Ministery for Education and Science (BMBF). The network combines six leading German research groups in the fields of applied mathematics, system theory and fuel cells. The research of the network is focused on the scale transition from the investigation of microscopic phenomena to the simulation of fuel cell systems.

Project idea

Currently, the development of fuel cells is mainly based on the construction of fuel cell prototypes. Evolutionary improvements are being introduced by trial and error during repeated construction which is a costly and time consuming procedure.

Pore and cell scale

The three-dimensional geometry of non-woven gas diffusion layers (GDLs) on the pore scale is obtained in two different ways: a) Synchrotron Tomography. The 3D images obtained from synchrotron tomography allow for a resolution below 1 micron per voxel.

Cell and stack scale

We develop a comprehensive dynamic model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack (PEMFC). The model comprises the polymer membrane, the catalyst layers, the gas diffusion layers, the bipolar plates and the gas channels.

Stack and system scale

In order to provide the transition from the stack-scale to the system-scale a model library for fuel cell systems is developed. The model library is applied for the simulation of fuel cell cogeneration systems.