RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
A model is developed to examine quantitatively the effects of flooding on the operation of polymer-electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Specifically, the change in the maximum power as a function of the structural properties of the diffusion media, including the bulk porosity, wettability, thickness, and pore-size distribution, is described. The porous-medium model developed includes analytic expressions and a modeling methodology for handling both liquid and gas flow. The model is used in combination with our previous membrane model to simulate transport in typical gas diffusion layers and examine the effect of layer hydrophobicity on the maximum power. (C) 2004 The Electrochemical Society