Velocity and Temperature Distributions in Bipolar Plate of PEM Electrolysis Cell

Abstract

Numerical simulations of three-dimensional water flow were performed for the purpose of examining velocity and temperature distributions in the bipolar plate of a simplified PEM electrolysis cell. The flow range in the present study is assumed to be hydrodynamically stable and steady with uniform inlet temperature. All solid wall surfaces are maintained as being adiabatically insulated except that the walls adjacent to the active area of the MEA are supplied with constant heat flux. A minimum of the peak values of mainstream velocity component in the channels develops in the middle of the plate. The maximum of these peak values appears in the channel near the exit tube. The maximum temperature develops in the channels in the center of the plate and near the exit header section. The maximum temperature decreases with increasing flowrate.