Integrated Taguchi and response surface methods in geometric and parameter optimization of PEM fuel cells

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell has emerged as a promising alternative to fossil fuels as it is employed to generate electricity for portable applications with low carbon emissions. However, the high cost of the technology hinders its widespread commercialization. Optimizing PEM fuel cell model parameters is crucial in performance improvement and production cost reduction. This study presents an optimization approach for a PEM fuel cell operating and design parameters by integrating Taguchi and Response Surface Methodology. A 3D-CFD model of a PEM fuel cell is developed and used as a base model for the optimization study. Thirteen input parameters with notable effects on the fuel cell's performance are selected for this study. By the Taguchi method, these parameters decreased from thirteen to five. A response surface methodology (RSM) Box-Behnken experimental design is employed to study the interactions of the parameters on the power density. The optimum working parameters that result in optimum power density of 0.8476 W cm-2 include an operating pressure (2.5 bar), temperature (80 degrees C), flow channel width (1.30 mm), membrane thickness (0.036 mm), and catalyst layer thickness of 0.01 mm. This study provides a quick and efficient way of optimizing PEM fuel cell model for maximum power density.