A Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a device that efficiently transforms the chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy, water, and heat. Numerical simulations facilitate the design, analysis, and optimization of these devices, often relying on models based on ordinary differential equations, such as the macrohomogeneous model (MH model). However, models for PEM fuel cell simulations that rely on exponential terms are often prone to numerical instabilities and require extensive fine-tuning to replicate the underlying physical phenomena accurately. In some cases, the traditional macro-homogeneous model is unable to reproduce the full experimental performance of a PEMFC, as reported in specialized literature. In this article, an alternative mathematical model inspired by the kinetic growth rate of bacteria is presented as an improved formulation for the macro-homogeneous model (MH model), which is commonly used to describe species dynamics through the catalyst layer of a PEM fuel cell. This model is called the Adapted Aiba-Edward (AAE) model. This new surrogate model introduces a formulation for current density that preserves the multi-fidelity properties of the traditional MH model, achieving comparable accuracy in reproducing phenomena. According to the case studies reported in the Results section, the AAE model demonstrates the potential to reduce computational costs, expand the application domain, and maintain consistency with experimental data.
