Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity, with water and heat as by-products. They are increasingly used in mobility applications, particularly in fuel cell electric vehicles, where hydrogen serves as an onboard energy carrier. Their development is complex because electrochemistry, gas dynamics, humidification, heat transfer, and control systems are strongly interdependent.
The blog by AVL outlines how model-based simulation is applied to study these interactions at both component and system levels. It discusses the use of AVL CRUISE™ M, a multi-physics simulation tool used to represent the fuel cell stack together with balance-of-plant subsystems such as hydrogen supply, air handling, and cooling circuits. This approach aims to enable analysis of transient operating conditions like cold start, load transitions, and start–stop cycles, as well as long-term effects like stack voltage degradation. Such simulations support examination of control strategies, subsystem configuration, and vehicle-level integration within a virtual development environment.
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