A three-dimensional full-cell CFD model used to investigate the effects of different flow channel designs on PEMFC performance

Abstract A three-dimensional “full-cell” computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is proposed in this paper to investigate the effects of different flow channel designs on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). The flow channel designs selected in this work include the parallel and serpentine flow channels, single-path and multi-path flow channels, and uniform depth and step-wise depth flow channels. This model is validated by the experiments conducted in the fuel cell center of Yuan Ze University, showing that the present model can investigate the characteristics of flow channel for the PEMFC and assist in the optima designs of flow channels. The effects of different flow channel designs on the PEMFC performance obtained by the model predictions agree well with those obtained by experiments. Based on the simulation results, which are also confirmed by the experimental data, the parallel flow channel with the step-wise depth design significantly promotes the PEMFC performance. However, the performance of PEMFC with the serpentine flow channel is insensitive to these different depth designs. In addition, the distribution characteristics of fuel gases and current density for the PEMFC with different flow channels can be also reasonably captured by the present model.

[1]  T. Nguyen,et al.  An Along‐the‐Channel Model for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells , 1998 .

[2]  Olli Himanen,et al.  Modeling of flow field in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell , 2006 .

[3]  T. Springer,et al.  Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Model , 1991 .

[4]  Kambiz Vafai,et al.  Convective flow and heat transfer in variable-porosity media , 1984, Journal of Fluid Mechanics.

[5]  Mark W. Verbrugge,et al.  Ion and Solvent Transport in Ion‐Exchange Membranes I . A Macrohomogeneous Mathematical Model , 1990 .

[6]  Mark W. Verbrugge,et al.  Ion and Solvent Transport in Ion‐Exchange Membranes II . A Radiotracer Study of the Sulfuric‐Acid, Nation‐117 System , 1990 .

[7]  T. Nguyen,et al.  Multicomponent transport in porous electrodes of proton exchange membrane fuel cells using the interdigitated gas distributors , 1999 .

[8]  Shimshon Gottesfeld,et al.  The Water Content Dependence of Electro-Osmotic Drag in Proton-Conducting Polymer Electrolytes , 1995 .

[9]  S. Dutta,et al.  Numerical prediction of mass-exchange between cathode and anode channels in a PEM fuel cell , 2001 .

[10]  Sadik Kakac,et al.  Two‐dimensional model for proton exchange membrane fuel cells , 1998 .

[11]  Loreto Daza,et al.  Electrode permeability and flow-field configuration: influence on the performance of a PEMFC , 2003 .

[12]  G. Lindbergh,et al.  Mathematical model of the PEMFC , 2000 .

[13]  Mark W. Verbrugge,et al.  A Mathematical Model of the Solid‐Polymer‐Electrolyte Fuel Cell , 1992 .

[14]  Ralph E. White,et al.  A water and heat management model for proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells , 1993 .

[15]  Z. H. Wang,et al.  Two-phase flow and transport in the air cathode of proton exchange membrane fuel cells , 2000 .

[16]  T. Springer,et al.  Water Uptake by and Transport Through Nafion® 117 Membranes , 1993 .

[17]  K. Oguro,et al.  Simulation of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell electrode , 1997 .

[18]  Y. M. Ferng,et al.  Numerical simulation of thermal–hydraulic characteristics in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell , 2003 .

[19]  Xianguo Li,et al.  Modelling of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells with variable degrees of water flooding , 2000 .

[20]  Ned Djilali,et al.  THREE-DIMENSIONAL COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS OF TRANSPORT PHENOMENA IN A PEM FUEL CELL , 2002 .

[21]  Lin Wang,et al.  A parametric study of PEM fuel cell performances , 2003 .

[22]  Mark W. Verbrugge,et al.  Transport Phenomena in Perfluorosulfonic Acid Membranes during the Passage of Current , 1990 .

[23]  K. S. Dhathathreyan,et al.  Development of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack , 1999 .

[24]  Ramana G. Reddy,et al.  Effect of channel dimensions and shape in the flow-field distributor on the performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells , 2003 .

[25]  Loreto Daza,et al.  Optimisation of flow-field in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells using computational fluid dynamics techniques , 2000 .

[26]  Hongtan Liu,et al.  A two-phase flow and transport model for the cathode of PEM fuel cells , 2002 .

[27]  T. Springer,et al.  A Comparative Study of Water Uptake By and Transport Through Ionomeric Fuel Cell Membranes , 1993 .

[28]  Qing-Ming Wang,et al.  Multi-gas transportation and electrochemical performance of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell with complex flow channels , 2003 .

[29]  Xianguo Li,et al.  Composition and performance modelling of catalyst layer in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell , 1999 .

[30]  T. Fuller,et al.  Water and Thermal Management in Solid‐Polymer‐Electrolyte Fuel Cells , 1993 .

[31]  Thomas F. Fuller,et al.  Experimental Determination of the Transport Number of Water in Nafion 117 Membrane , 1992 .

[32]  J. Armour,et al.  Fluid flow through woven screens , 1968 .

[33]  Shimshon Gottesfeld,et al.  Determination of water diffusion coefficients in perfluorosulfonate ionomeric membranes , 1991 .

[34]  J. C. Amphlett.  Performance Modeling of the Ballard Mark IV Solid Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell , 1995 .

[35]  S. Ergun.  Fluid flow through packed columns , 1952 .

[36]  I-Ming Hsing,et al.  Two-dimensional simulation of water transport in polymer electrolyte fuel cells , 2000 .

[37]  Edson A. Ticianelli,et al.  Methods to Advance Technology of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells , 1988 .

[38]  S. Patankar.  Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow , 2018, Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering.

[39]  K. R. Weisbrod,et al.  Through-the-electrode model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with independently measured parameters , 1995 .

[40]  Antonino S. Aricò,et al.  Influence of flow field design on the performance of a direct methanol fuel cell , 2000 .

[41]  Y. M. Ferng,et al.  Analytical and experimental investigations of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell , 2004 .

[42]  M. Verbrugge,et al.  Mathematical model of a gas diffusion electrode bonded to a polymer electrolyte , 1991 .