Computer simulation methodology to analyze mass, momentum, energy and charge transport in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

A computer based method to analyze mass, momentum, energy and charge transport in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) via a computer simulation of the PEMFC to address water management in a physical PEMFC comprising a plurality adjacent layers comprising a first layer L1, a third layer L3, and a second layer L2 disposed between the first layer L1 and the third layer L3, a first interface L1/L2 between L1 and L2, a second interface L2/L3 between L2 and L3, each layer comprising a material having a porosity scale or non-porous structure distinct from each adjacent layer, the method comprising the steps of:

• performing a first small scale multiphase simulation S1 of the first interface for a first portion of the first interface;
• characterizing the first interface after the first small scale multiphase simulation S1;
• statistically extending S1 results for the first interface to a second portion of the first interface with a larger area that the first portion;
• performing a second multiphase simulation S2 for the second interface using the statistically extended first interface as characterized by the first small scale multiphase simulation S1 as a boundary condition;
• characterizing the second interface after the second small scale multiphase simulation S2;
• and
• repeating the first small scale multiphase simulation S1 using the second interface characterized by the second small scale multiphase simulation S2 as a boundary condition,
• wherein the multiphase simulations S1 and S2 each comprise simulation of one or more of the group consisting of momentum, energy, species, and charge transport across the interface between the simulated layers L1/L2 and L2/L3, respectively.