Electrochemical Engineering: "Modeling Otimizes Fuel Cells"
Galip Guvelioglu - Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
COMSOL Multiphysics has become an important tool for Galip Guvelioglu, who under the guidance of Professor Harvey Stenger is focusing on the optimization of Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) designs in his PhD research at Lehigh University. As he explains, the design and operating conditions that give optimal performance depend on the application area.
Stationary, portable, and transportation applications all have different requirements, operate in different environments, and the available fuel and oxidant conditions vary greatly. A PEMFC used in a stationary application could operate from fully humidified fuel and benefit from a compressor to increase air pressure, which increases the cell's power output.