Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Commons^™

Thermal Control Development Of A Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell System, Ola Mohammed Taha Al-Shalash

Mechanical Engineering Theses

A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device that uses fuel to generate electricity. It basically converts the chemical energy of reactants directly into electricity without combustion. In a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), the reactants, hydrogen and oxygen, are fed into the two electrodes, anode and cathode, respectively. A reaction takes place at each electrode and produces electricity, as well as water, and heat as the by-products. In order to maximize performance of a fuel cell, many factors can be considered for tuning and control. Temperature management is one of these factors.

A thermal-fluid model of a …