Effects of parameter uncertainty on the performance variability of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells

Operation of fuel cells is subject to inherent uncertainty in various material and operating parameters, which causes performance variability and impacts the reliability of the cells. Analysis of the interactive effects of parameter uncertainty on the fuel cell performance is imperative in a robust design endeavor. To this end, a methodology for simulation of fuel cell operation under uncertainty is presented by considering a one-dimensional nonisothermal description of the governing physical phenomena. A sampling-based stochastic model is developed, and parametric analysis is presented to elucidate the effects of uncertainty in several operating parameters on the variability of power density of the fuel cell. Robust design maps are derived from the analysis which provide for selection of cell temperature and anode and cathode pressures as functions of the input parameter uncertainty and target maximum acceptable variability in the power density.