Faculty of Energy Engineering and Transport, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Engineering (HCM-UTE)., Viet Nam
BibTex Citation Data :
@article{IJRED62380, author = {Tan-Thich Do}, title = {Study on water transport and optimization of water management strategy to improve performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell}, journal = {International Journal of Renewable Energy Development}, volume = {0}, number = {0}, year = {2026}, keywords = {proton exchange membrane fuel cell; water transport; water generation; water management; fuel cell performance; driving cycle; optimization of water; water management strategy}, abstract = { Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are considered a promising energy source for future applications due to their outstanding characteristics. During PEMFC operation, in addition to electricity and heat generation, water is produced through electrochemical reactions within the fuel cell, which significantly influences cell performance. Therefore, water generation and transport must be carefully considered. In this study, a mathematical model of PEMFC performance coupled with a water transport model is developed to evaluate fuel cell performance and water transport dynamics under driving cycle conditions. The results indicate that PEMFC performance is strongly affected by water generation, with higher operating current densities and longer operating durations leading to increased water production. At the highest operating current density of 0.78 A cm −2 , the anode and cathode water generation rates reach and m 3 s −1 , respectively. Furthermore, an optimization of the water management strategy for PEMFCs is proposed based on the ratio of cathode water volume to anode water volume at maximum cell performance. The optimal ratio is found to be 1.63% at an operating current density of 1.2 A cm −2 in this study. When the operating current density exceeds 1.2 A cm −2 , the cell performance declines significantly due to excessive water accumulation, which can induce flooding within the PEMFC. This flooding reduces the effective electrochemically active area and restricts the supply of fresh reactant gases to the flow field channels, ultimately leading to performance degradation. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into achieving optimal PEMFC performance by explicitly accounting for water generation and management. }, doi = {10.61435/ijred.2026.62380}, url = {https://ijred.cbiore.id/index.php/ijred/article/view/62380} }
Refworks Citation Data :
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are considered a promising energy source for future applications due to their outstanding characteristics. During PEMFC operation, in addition to electricity and heat generation, water is produced through electrochemical reactions within the fuel cell, which significantly influences cell performance. Therefore, water generation and transport must be carefully considered. In this study, a mathematical model of PEMFC performance coupled with a water transport model is developed to evaluate fuel cell performance and water transport dynamics under driving cycle conditions. The results indicate that PEMFC performance is strongly affected by water generation, with higher operating current densities and longer operating durations leading to increased water production. At the highest operating current density of 0.78 A cm−2, the anode and cathode water generation rates reach and m3 s−1, respectively. Furthermore, an optimization of the water management strategy for PEMFCs is proposed based on the ratio of cathode water volume to anode water volume at maximum cell performance. The optimal ratio is found to be 1.63% at an operating current density of 1.2 A cm−2 in this study. When the operating current density exceeds 1.2 A cm−2, the cell performance declines significantly due to excessive water accumulation, which can induce flooding within the PEMFC. This flooding reduces the effective electrochemically active area and restricts the supply of fresh reactant gases to the flow field channels, ultimately leading to performance degradation. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into achieving optimal PEMFC performance by explicitly accounting for water generation and management.
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Last update: 2026-10-13 12:47:27
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