Final Report Summary - MMFCS (Multiscale Models for Catalytic-Reaction-Coupled Transport Phenomena in Fuel Cells)
Mathematical formulation, modeling and simulations are the key components in fuel cell development beyond the state-of-the-art because it is beneficial and necessary to understand the mechanisms of various interacting phenomena and their effects on the cell performance. This is further underlined as it is very hard to measure the local parameters inside fuel cells, particularly inside the small scale functional materials. Modeling and simulations of charge transfer and electrochemical performance are critical to enable optimization of the geometry, selection of functional materials and evaluation of performance. For the macroscale modeling, the micro-and nano-structure related properties defining a porous media, e.g. the porosity and tortousity and the specific area available for surface reactions are required as well as effective transport coefficients. Thus the coupling of models valid at various scales is important for continued progress in the development of fuel cells. Within this project macroscale and micro-/nanoscale modeling approaches are included for the fuel cell types SOFC and PEMFC. In particular the focus has been on the electrodes, electrolyte and unit cells. In addition, integrated methods, i.e. combination of the various approaches to so-called hybrid methods are of interest. Methods to bridge the modeling approaches have been suggested but more extensive research work is needed to advance the frontier of knowledge further.
Overall this project has been successful and a lot of contributed papers in peer review journals and conferences have appeared, see the complete list of publications. A number of PhD theses (3) and the intermediate licentiate of engineering theses (5) have been presented. In addition several invited or keynote lectures have been presented at internationally well recognized conferences and leading fuel cell research laboratories.
Overall this project has been successful and a lot of contributed papers in peer review journals and conferences have appeared, see the complete list of publications. A number of PhD theses (3) and the intermediate licentiate of engineering theses (5) have been presented. In addition several invited or keynote lectures have been presented at internationally well recognized conferences and leading fuel cell research laboratories.