Dynamic models of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are often validated for a single stack configuration, limiting their transferability for system-level engineering studies. This work presents a cross-validated dynamic electrochemical–thermal modelling framework designed for engineering-oriented analysis of PEMFC systems. The model integrates established electrochemical relations with lumped thermal balances within a unified transient structure. The framework is validated against eight independent experimental datasets reported in the literature, spanning different stack sizes, operating conditions, and technological generations, without parameter recalibration. Across all datasets, the model achieved mean absolute percentage errors between 2.11% and 10.9%, demonstrating robust predictive performance across heterogeneous configurations and remaining within the accuracy range reported in the literature (typically 1%–15%). The model is then applied to analyse thermal–electrochemical interactions during startup, quantifying the influence of inlet temperature and operating pressure on warm-up time, voltage evolution, power output, and heat generation. The results reveal a systematic trade-off between electrochemical efficiency and thermal responsiveness, where higher operating pressures improve voltage and power output but reduce heat generation available for stack warm-up. A local sensitivity analysis further identifies the relative influence of key electrochemical and thermal parameters on startup dynamics, voltage, and power predictions. The results demonstrate that reliable engineering insight can be obtained from a unified modelling framework without stack-specific calibration. The proposed approach provides a computationally efficient tool for operating-envelope exploration, thermal management analysis, and control-oriented studies of PEMFC systems.
Martins et al. (Fri,) studied this question.