Simulation and experimental analysis on the performance of PEM fuel cell by the wave-like surface design at the cathode channel

Han, Seong Ho; Choi, Nam Hyeon; Choi, Young Don

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.08.063

Cited by 64 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The baffles were installed in flow channels, and the flow behaviors and transfer behaviors of reactants were optimized. The reactant supplying to catalyst layers (CLs) could be enhanced, and the current density could be improved . Many baffles in different shapes had been studied by previous works, including the wave‐like baffles, trapezoidal baffles, and rectangular baffles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mass transfer in proton exchange membrane fuel cells with baffled flow channels and a porous‐blocked baffled flow channel design

Chen

Guo

et al. 2019

Int J Energy Res

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Summary In proton exchange membrane fuel cells, baffled flow channels enhance the reactant transfer from flow channels to gas diffusion layers. However, the reactant transfer depends on both the diffusive transfer and convective transfer, and how the baffles in flow channels affect them is still unknown. Therefore, in this work, a two‐dimensional, two‐phase, nonisothermal, and steady‐state model of proton exchange membrane fuel cells is developed, and these two transfer processes from flow channels to gas diffusion layers are comparatively studied. Simulation results show that first of all, the reactant transfer from flow channels to gas diffusion layers mainly depends on the diffusive transfer. Therefore, if the desire is to enhance the mass transfer from flow channels to gas diffusion layers, the diffusive mass transfer should be enhanced firstly. Being guided by this goal, a porous‐blocked baffled flow channel is developed. This flow channel design can further enhance the reactant transfer from flow channels to gas diffusion layers, and the cell performance can be improved. Moreover, when the porosities of porous blocks at the front place of flow channels are lower, the cell power is also increased but the pumping power can be reduced a lot.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mass transfer in proton exchange membrane fuel cells with baffled flow channels and a porous‐blocked baffled flow channel design

Chen

Guo

et al. 2019

Int J Energy Res

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“…Recently, a PEM FC with baffle‐blocked flow channel has been used in commercial FC vehicle, such as Toyota Mirai. Furthermore, some researchers have designed wave‐like flow channel. Han et al simulated the waveform channels with various parameters to optimize the cell performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, some researchers have designed wave‐like flow channel. Han et al simulated the waveform channels with various parameters to optimize the cell performance. The results showed that the cell performance of simulation was improved by 5.17% and 5.96% via experiment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mass transfer and cell performance of a unitized regenerative fuel cell with nonuniform depth channel in oxygen‐side flow field

Jia

Guo

et al. 2019

Int J Energy Res

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Summary In this study, the cell performance of nonuniform depth and conventional straight channel in a unitized regenerative fuel cell (URFC) is compared. Various shapes of oxygen‐side channel cases are also proposed. Several parameters, such as the distribution of reactants and products and current density and powers in fuel cell (FC) and electrolytic cell (EC) modes, are investigated. A steady‐state model of two‐dimensional, two‐phase, nonisothermal, and coupled electrochemical reaction is developed. Five oxygen‐side channel shapes are also designed, in which the depth along the flow direction is narrowed. Result shows that narrowing the average channel depth can promote and guide the reactant transfer to the catalyst layer and avoid the blocking of the production. Thus, in comparison with the conventional channel, the cell performances of nonuniform depth and shallow straight channel cases are improved in both modes. In addition, with the decrease of average channel depth, the temperature uniformity gets better, which is also conductive to the improvement of cell performance. Furthermore, in FC mode at low voltage and EC mode, the cell net power basically increases with the decrease of the average channel depth ratio. And when the average channel depth is the same, the net power of straight channel is always lower than nonuniform depth case. This study introduces the round‐trip energy efficiency as an evaluation indicator of URFC. This efficiency can be increased by improving the cell performance of both modes, especially at high current density.

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“…This research provided the principle called the field synergy principle that can provide an alternative to the Nusselt number when evaluating the thermal efficiency of gas flow channels in PEMFCs. Kuo et al, Kuo and Chen, Kuo et al, Kuo and Chen, and Li et al investigated the influence of sinusoidal wavy walls at the bottom surface of the flow channel. The results of the simulation in the work of Kuo and Chen showed that the design with a sinusoidal wavy wall increases the power density of PEMFC by 39.5%.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A parametric comparison of temperature uniformity and energy performance of a PEMFC having serpentine wavy channels

2018

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Summary Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are regarded as alternative energy sources because they are environment friendly and deliver no harmful emission. As its reliability and power generating efficiency is largely influenced by the temperature distribution, it is necessary to improve the temperature uniformity which is crucial in PEMFCs. To this end, this numerical study presents an attempt to optimize the flow channels via introducing wavy shape flow channels at the ribs. The numerical model is validated by experimental data available in the open literature. Two kinds of wavy shape flow channels are designed while straight flow channel is set as a reference. In the PEMFCs with wavy shape flow channels, the effects of the amplitude and wavelength on the thermal performance are simulated and analyzed. Results show that wavy shape flow channels provide better performance not only for thermal uniformity but also for PEMFC output power and efficiency. With lower amplitude and wavelength of wavy shape flow channels, the power can be promoted up to 3.69% and 7.26% for two kinds of wavy shaped flow channels compared with straight flow channel, respectively. The influences of amplitude and wavelength on the thermal uniformity and the output power are also analyzed. This paper provides a new insight to PEMFC flow channel designers.

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Simulation and experimental analysis on the performance of PEM fuel cell by the wave-like surface design at the cathode channel

Cited by 64 publications

References 18 publications

Mass transfer in proton exchange membrane fuel cells with baffled flow channels and a porous‐blocked baffled flow channel design

Mass transfer in proton exchange membrane fuel cells with baffled flow channels and a porous‐blocked baffled flow channel design

Mass transfer and cell performance of a unitized regenerative fuel cell with nonuniform depth channel in oxygen‐side flow field

A parametric comparison of temperature uniformity and energy performance of a PEMFC having serpentine wavy channels

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