AlphaPEM: An open-source dynamic 1D physics-based PEM fuel cell model for embedded applications

The urgency of the energy transition requires improving the performance and longevity of hydrogen technologies. AlphaPEM is a dynamic one-dimensional (1D) physics-based PEM fuel cell system simulator, programmed in Python and experimentally validated. It offers a good balance between accuracy and execution speed. The modular architecture allows for addition of new features, and it has a user-friendly graphical interface. An automatic calibration method is proposed to match the model to the studied fuel cell. The software provides information on the internal states of the system in response to any current density and can produce polarization and EIS curves. AlphaPEM facilitates the use of a model in embedded conditions, allowing real-time modification of the fuel cell’s operating conditions. • AlphaPEM is a 1D, physics-based, dynamic, biphasic PEM fuel cell system model. • It is designed for embedded application and has a speed-accuracy trade-off. • AlphaPEM is open-source, user-friendly, modular, and coded in Python. • It provides real-time access to the cell’s internal states and voltage. • AlphaPEM can automatically calibrate the model’s undetermined parameters.