Optimization of Cooling Channel Structure of Bipolar Plate for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Based on CFD Analysis

Wenbin Wang, Haoran Jia, Guoxiang Li, Wen Sun, Ke Sun (), Shuzhan Bai () and Hao Cheng
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Wenbin Wang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Haoran Jia: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Guoxiang Li: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Wen Sun: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Ke Sun: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Shuzhan Bai: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Hao Cheng: School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China

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

Abstract: The working temperature affects the performance of PEMFC, so a reasonable and efficient cooling channel is necessary to control the working temperature in an efficient area. In this study, the channel structure of the bipolar plate for PEMFC is analyzed using the FLUENT simulation calculation method. The influence of cell size and cooling water flow direction on cell temperature distribution is analyzed, including an examination of the channel ridge width, depth, and aspect ratio of the bipolar plate. After comparing and analyzing three ridge width sizes (0.5 mm, 1.5 mm and 2 mm) in the paper, it was found that a ridge width of 2 mm had the best heat transfer performance. And it was found that a groove depth of 0.5 mm had the best heat transfer performance when comparing three groove depth dimensions (0.5 mm, 1 mm and 1.5 mm). The aspect ratio size parameters had almost no effect on the maximum and average temperatures of the electric stacks, while the relative flow direction of cooling water had a great influence on the temperature distribution of the bipolar plate.

Keywords: bipolar plate; cooling channel; temperature distribution (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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