Electro-thermal PEMFC system modeling with experimental validation on 6 kW liquid-cooled stack

Abstract

This paper presents the development and experimental validation of a coupled electrochemical–thermal numerical model of a liquid-cooled Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) system. The model is based on a 0D/1D formulation implemented in the Matlab/Simscape environment and aims to accurately reproduce both the electrical and thermal behavior of a PEMFC stack under variable operating conditions. The proposed approach integrates the main physical phenomena governing fuel cell operation, including electrochemical reactions, mass and energy balances, and the dynamics of the reactant supply subsystems. A particular attention is given to the modeling of non-conventional loss mechanisms, such as hydrogen crossover and internal short circuits, which significantly affect stack voltage and overall system performance. To validate the proposed model, an experimental test bench was developed using a 6 kW Ballard FCgen-LCS PEMFC stack equipped with a closed-loop liquid cooling circuit. Experimental tests were conducted under steady-state and transient load conditions to characterize the electrical response and the thermal dynamics of the system. Simulation results were compared with measured data through polarization curve analysis and dynamic thermal response evaluation. The comparison demonstrates a strong agreement between simulations and experiments, confirming the ability of the model to capture both electrical performance and stack thermal behavior. The proposed model therefore provides a reliable and computationally efficient tool for PEMFC system analysis, control development, and optimization of thermal management strategies.