Experimental study on heat and mass transfer enhancement of open cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cells using turbulence grids

Thermal management is crucial for the efficient operation, safety, and durability of open cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cells (OCPEMFCs). In this study, a novel method based on a turbulence grid was innovatively used to enhance the heat and mass transfer of OCPEMFCs. A series of experiments were conducted, and parameters such as temperature, voltage, and electrochemical impedance were measured and compared to confirm the effectiveness of the turbulence grid. On this basis, the effects of key parameters such as the unit size and distance of the turbulence grid on the operating characteristics of OCPEMFCs were systematically investigated. The experimental results showed that the turbulence grid significantly increased the turbulence intensity of the airflow, thereby enhancing the heat transfer efficiency and oxygen mass transfer rate of OCPEMFCs. Consequently, the output performance and thermal performance of OCPEMFCs were effectively improved, and the ohmic impedance was even reduced by more than 87.8 %. Meanwhile, it turned out that reducing the unit size and optimizing the distance of the turbulence grid further improved the performance and thermal management of OCPEMFCs. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of turbulence grids in enhancing heat and mass transfer and provides new insights into the efficient thermal management of OCPEMFCs.