Two dimensional modeling study of PBI/H3PO4 high temperature PEMFCs based on electrochemical methods

A two dimensional model was constructed for a high temperature PBI/H3PO4 fuel cell, the model was focused on the cathode side since it is the most important component of the overall polarization loss in unit cell. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) technique was used to supply the model with the most important kinetic parameter—cathodic exchange current density. The cathode polarization was calculated by the resulting two dimensional model and the ohmic polarization was estimated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), the overall polarization curve was simulated according to the above procedure; three unit cells with different catalysts were assembled and their steady state polarization curves were simulated based on the mathematical model. Good agreement between the simulated and experimental results was achieved.