A real time capable quasi 3D system level model of PEM fuel cells

Tavčar, Gregor (author), Katrašnik, Tomaž (author)

System level simulations, which are gaining on importance in the product concept design process and in the Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) applications, require models that feature high level of accuracy, high level of prediction capability and short computational times. This paper presents an innovative mechanistic quasi 3D model capable of real time computation of steady state and transient fuel cell operation. This model relies on a hybrid 3D analytic-numerical model (HAN) approach, which models species transport by taking 1D numerical model for pipe gas-flow and superimposing onto it a 2D analytic solution for concentration and velocity distribution in the plane perpendicular to the gas-flow. The main innovative contribution of this paper comprises a significant mathematical reduction of the previously published HAN approach to a computationally optimized approach featuring a minimal amount of computational points yielding a real-time capable model (denoted HAN-RT), which complies with 1kHz HiL constraints while retaining HAN's quasi 3D nature. Presented results confirm that the computationally optimized HAN-RT model displays real-time capabilities at sampling rates above 1 kHz while producing results that agree very well with spatially resolved results generated by the 3D multiphase CFD tool and with the experimental results of steady state and transient fuel cell operation.

• Language: English
• Keywords: mathematical modeling, PEM fuel cells, quasi 3D, real time computation, system level simulation
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Article acceptance date: 22.11.2019
• Publication date: 17.02.2020
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: Str. 17-32
• Numbering: Vol. 20, iss. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-127100
• UDC: 662:519.6(045)
• ISSN on article: 1615-6854
• DOI: 10.1002/fuce.201900025
• COBISS.SI-ID: 17003035
• Publication date in RUL: 18.05.2021

TAVČAR, Gregor and KATRAŠNIK, Tomaž, 2020, A real time capable quasi 3D system level model of PEM fuel cells. Fuel cells [online]. 2020. Vol. 20, no. 1, p. 17–32. [Accessed 31 March 2025]. DOI 10.1002/fuce.201900025. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=127100

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Fuel cells
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 1615-6854
• COBISS.SI-ID: 517714457

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: matematično modeliranje, PEM gorivne celice, kvazi 3D, izračuni v realnem času, sistemska simulacija

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0401
• Name: Energetsko strojništvo