Optimization of a Membraneless Microfluidic Fuel Cell with a Double-Bridge Flow Channel

Ji-Hyun Oh, Tien-Dung Vuong and Kwang-Yong Kim
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Ji-Hyun Oh: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Tien-Dung Vuong: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Kwang-Yong Kim: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: In this work, a design optimization study was conducted to improve the performance of a membraneless microfluidic fuel cell with a double-bridge cross-section of the flow channel. Governing equations including Navier–Stokes, mass-transport, and Butler–Volmer equations were solved numerically to analyze the electrochemical phenomena and evaluate the performance of the fuel cells. Optimization was performed to maximize the peak power density using a genetic algorithm combined with a surrogate model constructed by radial basis neural network. Two sub-channel widths of the flow channel were selected as design variables for the optimization. As a result, a large increase in the inner channel width and a small decrease in the outer channel width effectively increased the peak power density of the MMFC. The optimal design increased the peak power density by 57.6% compared to the reference design.

Keywords: membraneless microfluidic fuel cell; double-bridge channel; numerical model; optimization; mixing region (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: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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