A numerical study on the performance of PEMFC with wedge-shaped fins in the cathode channel

Shuan yang Zhang; Zhi guo Qu; Hong tao Xu; Fariborz Karimi Talkhoncheh; Shun Liu; Qiang Gao

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.05.207

A numerical study on the performance of PEMFC with wedge-shaped fins in the cathode channel

Shuan yang Zhang
, Zhi guo Qu
, Hong tao Xu
, Fariborz Karimi Talkhoncheh
, Shun Liu
, Qiang Gao

School of Energy and Power Engineering

University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
University of Isfahan

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

128 Scopus citations

Abstract

The gas flow field design has a significant influence on the overall performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). A single-channel PEMFC with wedge-shaped fins in the cathode channel was proposed, and the effects of fin parameters such as volume (0.5 mm³, 1.0 mm³, and 1.5 mm³), number (3, 5, and 9), and porosity of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) on the performance of PEMFC were numerically examined based on the growth rate of power density (GRPD) and polarization curve. It was shown that wedge-shaped fins could effectively improve the PEMFC performance. With an increase in fin volume, the distributions of oxygen mass fraction in the outlet area of the cathode channel were lower, the drainage effect of the PEMFC improved, and GRPD also increased accordingly. Similar results were obtained as the number of fins increased. The GDL porosity had a greater effect than the wedge-shaped fins on the improvement in PEMFC performance, but the influence of GDL porosity weakened and the GRPD of porosity decreased as the porosity increased. This study provides an effective guideline for the optimization of the cathode channel in a PEMFC.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	27700-27708
Number of pages	9
Journal	International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume	46
Issue number	54
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.05.207
State	Published - 5 Aug 2021

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

GRPD
Mass transfer enhancement
PEMFC
Wedge-shaped fins

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10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.05.207

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title = "A numerical study on the performance of PEMFC with wedge-shaped fins in the cathode channel",

abstract = "The gas flow field design has a significant influence on the overall performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). A single-channel PEMFC with wedge-shaped fins in the cathode channel was proposed, and the effects of fin parameters such as volume (0.5 mm3, 1.0 mm3, and 1.5 mm3), number (3, 5, and 9), and porosity of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) on the performance of PEMFC were numerically examined based on the growth rate of power density (GRPD) and polarization curve. It was shown that wedge-shaped fins could effectively improve the PEMFC performance. With an increase in fin volume, the distributions of oxygen mass fraction in the outlet area of the cathode channel were lower, the drainage effect of the PEMFC improved, and GRPD also increased accordingly. Similar results were obtained as the number of fins increased. The GDL porosity had a greater effect than the wedge-shaped fins on the improvement in PEMFC performance, but the influence of GDL porosity weakened and the GRPD of porosity decreased as the porosity increased. This study provides an effective guideline for the optimization of the cathode channel in a PEMFC.",

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AU - Xu, Hong tao

AU - Talkhoncheh, Fariborz Karimi

AU - Liu, Shun

AU - Gao, Qiang

PY - 2021/8/5

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N2 - The gas flow field design has a significant influence on the overall performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). A single-channel PEMFC with wedge-shaped fins in the cathode channel was proposed, and the effects of fin parameters such as volume (0.5 mm3, 1.0 mm3, and 1.5 mm3), number (3, 5, and 9), and porosity of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) on the performance of PEMFC were numerically examined based on the growth rate of power density (GRPD) and polarization curve. It was shown that wedge-shaped fins could effectively improve the PEMFC performance. With an increase in fin volume, the distributions of oxygen mass fraction in the outlet area of the cathode channel were lower, the drainage effect of the PEMFC improved, and GRPD also increased accordingly. Similar results were obtained as the number of fins increased. The GDL porosity had a greater effect than the wedge-shaped fins on the improvement in PEMFC performance, but the influence of GDL porosity weakened and the GRPD of porosity decreased as the porosity increased. This study provides an effective guideline for the optimization of the cathode channel in a PEMFC.

AB - The gas flow field design has a significant influence on the overall performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). A single-channel PEMFC with wedge-shaped fins in the cathode channel was proposed, and the effects of fin parameters such as volume (0.5 mm3, 1.0 mm3, and 1.5 mm3), number (3, 5, and 9), and porosity of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) on the performance of PEMFC were numerically examined based on the growth rate of power density (GRPD) and polarization curve. It was shown that wedge-shaped fins could effectively improve the PEMFC performance. With an increase in fin volume, the distributions of oxygen mass fraction in the outlet area of the cathode channel were lower, the drainage effect of the PEMFC improved, and GRPD also increased accordingly. Similar results were obtained as the number of fins increased. The GDL porosity had a greater effect than the wedge-shaped fins on the improvement in PEMFC performance, but the influence of GDL porosity weakened and the GRPD of porosity decreased as the porosity increased. This study provides an effective guideline for the optimization of the cathode channel in a PEMFC.

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KW - Mass transfer enhancement

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KW - Wedge-shaped fins

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M3 - 文章

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JO - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

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ER -

A numerical study on the performance of PEMFC with wedge-shaped fins in the cathode channel

Abstract

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Keywords

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