Abstract
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have great potential to produce renewable, sustainable and clean energy and reduce air pollutants to mitigate climate change. PEMFCs consist of distinct parts including anode and cathode bipolar plates having flow channels, gas diffusion layers, catalyst layers, and membrane. The flow channel geometry influences the flow and pressure drop characteristics of the channel and cell performance. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) CFD model is built employing SOLIDWORKS and ANSYS Workbench. The innovative configurations are generated by changing the half of 0.2 x 0.2 mm square channel to 0.3 x 0.1 mm, 0.3 x 0.15 mm, 0.3 x 0.2 mm and 0.3 x 0.25 mm rectangular section at the top. The results showed that increasing rectangular section height significantly reduced pressure drop at the anode and cathode with a slight decrease in the current density at 0.4 and 0.6 V. The new configuration with 0.2 x 0.1 mm half square section at the bottom and 0.3 x 0.25 mm rectangular section at the top decreases the current density, anode and cathode pressure drop of 11%, 69% and 58%, respectively in comparison to 0.2 x 0.2 flow channel at 0.4 V. Taking into account pressure loss along the flow channels, this configuration is a good option to improve the cell performance.
References
- ANSYS Inc. 2018. ANSYS Fluent 19.2 Advanced Add-On Modules, Canonsburg, PA, US.
- Barbir F. 2013. PEM fuel cells: theory and practice. Elsevier/Academic Press, London, UK, pp: 518.
- Biyikoglu A, Alpat CO. 2011. Parametric study of a single cell proton exchange membrane fuel cell for a bundle of straight gas channels. Gazi Univ J Sci, 24(4): 883-899.
- Brakni O, Kerkoub Y, Amrouche F, Mohammedi A, Ziari YK. 2024. CFD investigation of the effect of flow field channel design based on constriction and enlargement configurations on PEMFC performance. Fuel, 357: 129920.
- Carcadea E, Ismail MS, Ingham DB, Patularu L, Schitea D, Marinoiu A, Ebrasu DI, Mocanu D, Varlam M. 2021. Effects of geometrical dimensions of flow channels of a large-active-area PEM fuel cell: A CFD study. Int J Hydrog Energy, 46(25): 13572-13582.
- Chowdhury MZ, Genc O, Toros S. 2018. Numerical optimization of channel to land width ratio for PEM fuel cell. Int J Hydrog Energy, 43: 10798-10809.
- Cooper NJ, Santamaria AD, Becton MK, Park JW. 2017. Investigation of the performance improvement in decreasing aspect ratio interdigitated flow field PEMFCs. Energy Convers Manag, 136: 307-317.
- Dong Z, Qin Y, Zheng J, Qiaoyu G. 2023. Numerical investigation of novel block flow channel on mass transport characteristics and performance of PEMFC. Int J Hydrog Energy, 48: 26356-26374.
- Kahveci EE, Taymaz I. 2018. Assessment of single-serpentine PEM fuel cell model developed by computational fluid Dynamics. Fuel, 217: 51-58.
- Kaplan M. 2021. Numerical investigation of influence of cross-sectional dimensions of flow channels on PEM fuel cell performance. J Energy Syst, 5(2): 137-148.
- Kaplan M. 2022a. A numerical parametric study on the impacts of mass fractions of gas species on PEMFC performance. Eng Technol Q Rev, 5(2): 38-45.
- Kaplan M. 2022b. Three-dimensional CFD analysis of PEMFC with different membrane thicknesses. Renew Energy Sustain Devel, 8(2): 45-51.
- Kaplan M. 2023a. Performance improvement of PEMFC based on reducing size of the square flow channel: a 3D CFD approach. In: 3. International World Energy Conference Full Texts Book, December 4-5, Kayseri, Türkiye, pp: 700-707.
- Kaplan M. 2023b. Computational simulation study of the impact of isotropic GDL thermal conductivity on PEMFC characteristics. Renew Energy Sustain Devel, 9(2): 42-49.
- Paulino ALR, Cunha EF, Robalinho E, Linardi M, Korkischko I, Santiago EI. 2017. CFD Analysis of PEMFC Flow Channel Cross Sections. Fuel Cells, 17(1): 27-36.
- Spiegel C. 2008. PEM fuel cell modeling and simulation using Matlab. Elsevier/Academic Press, London, UK, pp: 440.
- Wang L, Husar A, Zhou T, Liu H. 2003. A parametric study of PEM fuel cell performances. Int J Hydrog Energy, 28(11): 1263-1272.
- Wu, HW. 2016. A review of recent development: transport and performance modeling of PEM fuel cells. Appl Energy, 165: 81-106.
- Xing L, Shi W, Su H, Xu Q, Das PK, Mao B, Keith S. 2019. Membrane electrode assemblies for PEM fuel cells: A review of functional graded design and optimization. Energy, 177: 445-464.
Abstract
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have great potential to produce renewable, sustainable and clean energy and reduce air pollutants to mitigate climate change. PEMFCs consist of distinct parts including anode and cathode bipolar plates having flow channels, gas diffusion layers, catalyst layers, and membrane. The flow channel geometry influences the flow and pressure drop characteristics of the channel and cell performance. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) CFD model is built employing SOLIDWORKS and ANSYS Workbench. The innovative configurations are generated by changing the half of 0.2 x 0.2 mm square channel to 0.3 x 0.1 mm, 0.3 x 0.15 mm, 0.3 x 0.2 mm and 0.3 x 0.25 mm rectangular section at the top. The results showed that increasing rectangular section height significantly reduced pressure drop at the anode and cathode with a slight decrease in the current density at 0.4 and 0.6 V. The new configuration with 0.2 x 0.1 mm half square section at the bottom and 0.3 x 0.25 mm rectangular section at the top decreases the current density, anode and cathode pressure drop of 11%, 69% and 58%, respectively in comparison to 0.2 x 0.2 flow channel at 0.4 V. Taking into account pressure loss along the flow channels, this configuration is a good option to improve the cell performance.
References
- ANSYS Inc. 2018. ANSYS Fluent 19.2 Advanced Add-On Modules, Canonsburg, PA, US.
- Barbir F. 2013. PEM fuel cells: theory and practice. Elsevier/Academic Press, London, UK, pp: 518.
- Biyikoglu A, Alpat CO. 2011. Parametric study of a single cell proton exchange membrane fuel cell for a bundle of straight gas channels. Gazi Univ J Sci, 24(4): 883-899.
- Brakni O, Kerkoub Y, Amrouche F, Mohammedi A, Ziari YK. 2024. CFD investigation of the effect of flow field channel design based on constriction and enlargement configurations on PEMFC performance. Fuel, 357: 129920.
- Carcadea E, Ismail MS, Ingham DB, Patularu L, Schitea D, Marinoiu A, Ebrasu DI, Mocanu D, Varlam M. 2021. Effects of geometrical dimensions of flow channels of a large-active-area PEM fuel cell: A CFD study. Int J Hydrog Energy, 46(25): 13572-13582.
- Chowdhury MZ, Genc O, Toros S. 2018. Numerical optimization of channel to land width ratio for PEM fuel cell. Int J Hydrog Energy, 43: 10798-10809.
- Cooper NJ, Santamaria AD, Becton MK, Park JW. 2017. Investigation of the performance improvement in decreasing aspect ratio interdigitated flow field PEMFCs. Energy Convers Manag, 136: 307-317.
- Dong Z, Qin Y, Zheng J, Qiaoyu G. 2023. Numerical investigation of novel block flow channel on mass transport characteristics and performance of PEMFC. Int J Hydrog Energy, 48: 26356-26374.
- Kahveci EE, Taymaz I. 2018. Assessment of single-serpentine PEM fuel cell model developed by computational fluid Dynamics. Fuel, 217: 51-58.
- Kaplan M. 2021. Numerical investigation of influence of cross-sectional dimensions of flow channels on PEM fuel cell performance. J Energy Syst, 5(2): 137-148.
- Kaplan M. 2022a. A numerical parametric study on the impacts of mass fractions of gas species on PEMFC performance. Eng Technol Q Rev, 5(2): 38-45.
- Kaplan M. 2022b. Three-dimensional CFD analysis of PEMFC with different membrane thicknesses. Renew Energy Sustain Devel, 8(2): 45-51.
- Kaplan M. 2023a. Performance improvement of PEMFC based on reducing size of the square flow channel: a 3D CFD approach. In: 3. International World Energy Conference Full Texts Book, December 4-5, Kayseri, Türkiye, pp: 700-707.
- Kaplan M. 2023b. Computational simulation study of the impact of isotropic GDL thermal conductivity on PEMFC characteristics. Renew Energy Sustain Devel, 9(2): 42-49.
- Paulino ALR, Cunha EF, Robalinho E, Linardi M, Korkischko I, Santiago EI. 2017. CFD Analysis of PEMFC Flow Channel Cross Sections. Fuel Cells, 17(1): 27-36.
- Spiegel C. 2008. PEM fuel cell modeling and simulation using Matlab. Elsevier/Academic Press, London, UK, pp: 440.
- Wang L, Husar A, Zhou T, Liu H. 2003. A parametric study of PEM fuel cell performances. Int J Hydrog Energy, 28(11): 1263-1272.
- Wu, HW. 2016. A review of recent development: transport and performance modeling of PEM fuel cells. Appl Energy, 165: 81-106.
- Xing L, Shi W, Su H, Xu Q, Das PK, Mao B, Keith S. 2019. Membrane electrode assemblies for PEM fuel cells: A review of functional graded design and optimization. Energy, 177: 445-464.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Energy Generation, Conversion and Storage (Excl. Chemical and Electrical) |
| Journal Section | Research Articles |
| Authors | |
| Early Pub Date | February 27, 2024 |
| Publication Date | March 15, 2024 |
| Submission Date | January 15, 2024 |
| Acceptance Date | February 15, 2024 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2024 Volume: 7 Issue: 2 |
