Effective model for the cathode catalyst layer in fuel cells

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Mihailovici, Monika | Schweizer, Ben

Affiliations: Institut für Angewandte Mathematik, Universität Heidelberg, INF 294, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. E-mail: monika.mihailovici@iwr.uni-heidelberg.de | Mathematisches Institut, Universität Basel, Rheinsprung 21, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland. E-mail: ben.schweizer@unibas.ch

Abstract: We study a pore scale model for the reactive layer of a fuel cell and derive effective equations. The cathode catalytic layer has a complex micro-structure to facilitate the transport of ion-gases and electrons. The reaction takes place at the surface of catalyst particles that are small compared to the pore space dimensions. The surface reaction law incorporates an exponential nonlinearity. The mathematical treatment is based on maximum principles and introduces a measure valued variant of compensated compactness.

Keywords: homogenization, surface reaction, effective equation, fuel cell

DOI: 10.3233/ASY-2008-0876

Journal: Asymptotic Analysis, vol. 57, no. 1-2, pp. 105-123, 2008