Optimization of Flow Channel Design with Porous Medium Layers in a Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzer Cell

Wei-Hsin Chen (), Yaun-Sheng Wang, Min-Hsing Chang (), Liwen Jin, Lip Huat Saw, Chih-Chia Lin and Ching-Ying Huang
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Wei-Hsin Chen: Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
Yaun-Sheng Wang: Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
Min-Hsing Chang: Department of Energy Engineering, National United University, Miaoli 360, Taiwan
Liwen Jin: Institute of Building Environment and Sustainable Technology, School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Lip Huat Saw: Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Tunku Abdul Rahman University, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
Chih-Chia Lin: Hydrogen Energy Department, Low-Carbon Energy & Energy Storge Technology Division, Green Energy and Environment Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Tainan 71150, Taiwan
Ching-Ying Huang: Hydrogen Energy Department, Low-Carbon Energy & Energy Storge Technology Division, Green Energy and Environment Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Tainan 71150, Taiwan

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-14

Abstract: This study aims to optimize the flow channel design for a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cell (PEMEC) to minimize the pressure drop across the cell. The pattern of parallel flow channels is considered with a dual-porous layer structure sandwiched between the flow channel plate and the catalyst layer. Four geometric factors are considered in the optimization analysis, including the width of the flow channel, the depth of the flow channel, the particle diameter of the large-pore porous layer, and the particle diameter of the small-pore porous layer. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to simulate the flow field, and based on the results of the CFD simulation, the Taguchi method is employed to analyze the optimal flow channel design. The importance of the factors is further analyzed by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method. Three inlet velocities are assigned in the Taguchi analysis, which are 0.01, 0.1332, and 0.532 m/s, and then an orthogonal array is constructed and analyzed for each inlet flow condition. It is found that the optimal combination of the factors is the depth of the flow channel 1 mm, the width of the flow channel 3 mm, the particle diameter of the large-pore porous layer 0.212 mm, and the particle diameter of the small-pore porous layer 0.002 mm. The pressure drop across the PEMEC is minimized at the condition with the optimal combination of the factors. The ANOVA analysis shows that the depth of the flow channel exhibits the most significant impact on the pressure drop, while the other factors play minor roles only.

Keywords: proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cell (PEMEC); pressure drop; porous layer; Taguchi method; analysis of variance (ANOVA) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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