A new approach to empirical electrical modelling of a fuel cell, an electrolyser or a regenerative fuel cell

In terms of fuel cell steady-state performance modelling, many electrical models have been developed either from a theoretical point of view or from an empirical point of view. The model described in this article is from the empirical point of view approach. This model enables to simulate both fuel cells and electrolysers V-J curves (cell voltage versus current density) in typical conditions. This model is particularly adapted to regenerative fuel cell (RFC) simulation. It is a four degree-of-freedom model and it is convergent near zero current. It depends on the stack temperature and the oxygen partial pressure. The regions where mass transfer limitations occur have not been modelled, because they are usually avoided for efficiency or thermal reasons. The parameters have been fitted with a 4 kW(e) proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and a 3.6 kW(e) electrolyser. The electrical equations and the experimental data are well correlated. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.