Technical overview of fuel cell systems: How computer simulation is used to reduce design time

The advantages and disadvantages of using fuel cells technology as compared to conventional internal combustion power plants are discussed. Fuel cell power plants emit lesser pollutants and they offer noise and vibration advantages over conventional power plants. The lower operating temperatures of the fuel cell provide a small thermal signature, making them suitable for military applications. However the requirements for hydrogen management, water management, thermal management, and purification and desulfurization of the fuels are posing challenges to the wide use of fuel cells. The condensation of considerable amount of water inside the oxidizer channels results in blocking of the channels, increasing the pressure drop remarkably. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has made considerable contribution in fuel cell design and optimization.