Development and Parameter Extraction of Simplified Empirical Polarization Curve Model for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell

Fuel cells play a significant role in the domain of sustainable development due to their high efficiency and low environmental impacts. Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) are particularly promising alternatives for their transportation and stationary power generation applications. Accurate modeling of PEMFCs is vital for achieving optimal performance, which is generally evaluated using polarization curves. In this study, a simplified empirical polarization curve model for PEMFCs is developed. Experimental data is collected using the Nexa 1200 PEMFC test system. The model parameters are derived through a non-linear FMINCON optimization process and the model is validated across multiple polarization datasets. The results show a low Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and a close match between the experimental stack voltage and the modeled stack voltage, indicating a good agreement with the model. Additionally, the variation of polarization losses (activation, ohmic, and concentration) with stack current is analyzed, demonstrating the robustness of the model and its potential for accurately predicting PEMFC performance, under different operating conditions.