Non-Fourier Heat Conduction and Thermal-Stress Analysis of a Spherical Ice Particle Subjected to Thermal Shock in PEM Fuel Cell at Quick Cold Start-Up

Quick start at low temperature is one of the key bottleneck technologies that restrict the large-scale commercialization of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell vehicles. Ice and devices in battery systems based on thermal deicing are inevitably subjected to thermal shock. In order to study this problem, a non-Fourier heat conduction model is established to study the temperature response of a spherical ice particle subjected to thermal shock with different boundary conditions on the surface. Furthermore, distribution of thermal stress in the particle is obtained using the calculated temperature field, and the effect of thermal relaxation time and boundary conditions on the temperature response as well as the thermal stress field are also analyzed. The results, which are significantly different from that obtained using Fourier law of heat conduction, show that the mechanical stresses and the serious expansion of the ice particle may lead to the severe deformation of the devices connected to the ice during the cold start-up, imposing a great challenge in controlling structural reliability of PEM fuel cells. The numerical results are expected to provide a scientific theoretical basis for PEM fuel cell design and low-temperature start-up control.