Nonlocal Models of Membrane Hydration in PEM Fuel Cells

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are unique energy conversion devices, effeciently generating useful electric voltage from chemical reactants without combustion. They have recently captured public attention for automotive applications for which they promise high performance without the pollutants associated with combustion.

From a mathematical point of the device is governed by coupled systems of elliptic, parabolic, and degenerate parabolic equations describing the heat, mass, and ion tranpsort through porous medias and polymer electrolyte membranes. This talk will describe the overall functionality of the PEM fuel cell, presenting models and analysis of several of the subsystems.