Power generation in a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell is accompanied by combined mass transfer, adsorption, electrochemical reaction and desorption processes. For a direct propane PEM fuel cell, the developed tanks-in-series reactor (TSR) model is based on mass and charge balance equations taking into account the equilibrium adsorption and desorption processes in the catalyst layer. The comparison of the predicted and experimental data from literature is shown for anode and cathode polarization curves taking into account the surface polarization. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.