Effects of bolt pre-loading variations on performance of GDL in a bolted PEMFC by 3-D FEM analysis

Chi-Hui Chien, Yao-Lun Hu, Ting-Hsuan Su, Hsuan-Ting Liu, Chung-Ting Wang, Ping-Feng Yang and Ying-Xu Lu

Energy, 2016, vol. 113, issue C, 1174-1187

Abstract: This study numerically investigated the effects of different bolt pre-loadings on the performance of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) in a bolted proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Firstly, a complete three-dimensional finite element model of a PEMFC bolted by 12 bolts with a reactive area of 5 cm by 5 cm was established using the commercial software SolidWorks. Then, a pre-loading of 1 MPa to 7 MPa on each bolt was applied, increasing in increments 1 MPa, and the corresponding deformation and stress fields of each component of the fuel cell were obtained using the commercial software ANSYS 15.0/Workbench. Finally, the effects of the bolt pre-loading variations on the performance of the GDL were discussed. The results showed that the compression ratio of the GDL increased linearly with the magnitude of bolt pre-loading, and improving the performance of the GDL. However, when the pre-loading on each bolt reached 7 MPa, the compression ratio exceeded 15%, degrading the efficiency of the PEMFC. Also, by comparing the relationships between bolt pre-loading and conductivity and porosity of GDL, in order to obtain the maximum performance of GDL, an optimum value of 4 MPa for bolt preloading was recommended.

Keywords: PEMFC; FEM; GDL; Bolt pre-loading; Compression ratio; Contact resistance; Porosity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:113:y:2016:i:c:p:1174-1187

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2016.07.075

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