An Equivalent Circuit Model for Gas Diffusion Layers of PEMFC

Abstract

This paper presents a new approach to create a circuit model for static operations of the gas diffusion layer of the PEM fuel cell. The model is based on the Stefan-Maxwell equation. The concept of the energy port, which consists of effort and flow variables at the ports, has been used in this work. The model concept is applied on both anode and cathode sides which has 2 and 3 species, respectively. The resulted model consists of the voltage sources and nonlinear resistors which the value are depended on the molar fractions and the mass fluxes. Finally, the model is connected to the equation models of the other parts of the fuel cell and show a good result of V-I characteristics.