Comparison of Numerical and Experimental Studies for Flow-Field Optimization Based on Under-Rib Convection in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Nguyen Duy Vinh and Hyung-Man Kim
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Nguyen Duy Vinh: Department of Mechanical Engineering and High Safety Vehicle Core Technology Research Center, Inje University, 607 Eobang-Dong, Gimhae-si, Gyongsangnam-do 621-749, Korea
Hyung-Man Kim: Department of Mechanical Engineering and High Safety Vehicle Core Technology Research Center, Inje University, 607 Eobang-Dong, Gimhae-si, Gyongsangnam-do 621-749, Korea

Energies, 2016, vol. 9, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: The flow-field design based on under-rib convection plays an important role in enhancing the performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) because it ensures the uniform distribution of the reacting gas and the facilitation of water. This research focused on developing suitable configurations of the anode and cathode bipolar plates to enhance the fuel cell performance based on under-rib convection. The work here evaluated the effects of flow-field designs, including a serpentine flow field with sub channel and by pass and a conventional serpentine flow-field on single-cell performance. Both the experiment and computer simulation indicated that the serpentine flow field with sub channel and by pass (SFFSB) configuration enables more effective utilization of the electrocatalysts since it improves reactant transformation rate from the channel to the catalyst layer, thereby dramatically improving the fuel cell performance. The simulation and experimental results indicated that the power densities are increased by up to 16.74% and 18.21%, respectively, when applying suitable flow-field configurations to the anode and cathode bipolar plates. The findings in this are the foundation for enhancing efficient PEMFCs based on flow field design.

Keywords: polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC); under-rib convection; flow-field optimization; bipolar plate; polarization performance (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: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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