Nanofluid Cooling Enhances PEM Fuel Cell Stack Performance via 3D Multiphysics Simulation

Rashed Kaiser, Se-Min Jeong and Jong-Chun Park ()
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Rashed Kaiser: Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
Se-Min Jeong: Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea
Jong-Chun Park: Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-30

Abstract: The proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) generates a significant reaction and ohmic heat during operation, imposing stringent cooling requirements. This study employs a three-dimensional, non-isothermal, steady multiphase multiphysics model to investigate heat generation and transport in a three-cell PEMFC stack using deionized water, CuO, and Al 2 O 3 nanofluids (1 vol%) as coolants. The base (no-coolant) configuration was validated against a published polarization curve for a nine-cell stack. Introducing coolant channels increased the area-averaged current density from 2426 A m −2 (no coolant) to 2613 A m −2 (water), 2678 A m −2 (CuO), and 2702 A m −2 (Al 2 O 3 ), representing up to an 11.4% performance improvement while reducing the peak cell temperature by approximately 7–8 °C. Among the examined coolants, Al 2 O 3 nanofluid achieved the lowest maximum temperature and a favorable pressure drop, whereas water maintained the most uniform temperature field. A price-performance factor (PPF) was introduced to evaluate the techno-economic trade-off between cost and cooling benefit. This study highlights that, despite scale-related limitations between three-cell simulations and nine-cell experiments, nanofluid coolants offer a practical route toward thermally stable and high-performance PEMFC operation.

Keywords: polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack; 3-D multiphysics simulation; thermal management; cooling system; nanofluid cooling; price-performance factor (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: 2025
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