A phenomenological model of water transport in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

A steady-state, two-dimensional model is presented and discussed that descr ibes the water transport in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Concentra ted solution theory is used to describe the transport of water in the membr ane, and of water vapor and liquid water in the electrodes. The inclusion o f the liquid water transport into the model turned out to be essential for explaining recent experimental results on the effective drag coefficient an d its dependence on operating conditions as well as on variations of the co mponents that constitute the membrane electrode assembly. (C) 2001 The Elec trochemical Society.