Analysis of Flow Maldistribution of Fuel and Oxidant in a PEMFC

The flow of fuel and oxidant through a PEMFC is analyzed for prediction of maldistribution. Flow distribution of both fuel and oxidant from the port to the individual cells critically control the performance of a PEMFC stack in combination. The distribution of fluids was simulated by analytical approach utilizing flow channeling model of a manifold. A detailed numerical modeling is also carried out considering flow in each cell between the electrodes as flow through an equivalent porous medium offering identical resistance. The results show a close match between the analytical and numerical results. The parametric study reveals that flow rate and port size plays major role determining maldistribution of the fluids, which can be considerably skewed when large numbers of cells are stacked for larger power output.

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

[2]  R. Bajura,et al.  Flow Distribution Manifolds , 1976 .

[3]  T. Springer,et al.  Modeling and Experimental Diagnostics in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells , 1993 .

[4]  T. Springer,et al.  Model for polymer electrolyte fuel cell operation on reformate feed , 2001 .

[5]  C. Chamberlin,et al.  Modeling of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance with an Empirical Equation , 1995 .

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

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

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

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

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

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

[12]  H. Martin,et al.  Flow distribution and pressure drop in plate heat exchangers—II Z-type arrangement , 1984 .

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

[14]  Xianguo Li,et al.  Mathematical modeling of proton exchange membrane fuel cells , 2001 .

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

[16]  Chao-Yang Wang,et al.  Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells , 2000 .

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

[18]  J. C. Amphlett,et al.  TECHNICAL PAPERS ELECTROCHEMICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Performance Modeling of the Ballard Mark IV Solid Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell I. Mechanistic Model Development , 1995 .