IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v295y2024ics0360544224008831.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of three-dimensional type flow fields on mass transfer and performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Author

Listed:
  • Sun, Feng
  • Su, Dandan
  • Li, Ping
  • Lin, Fanxin
  • Miu, Guodong
  • Wan, Qi
  • Yin, Yujie

Abstract

Developing state-of-the-art bipolar plate structures, to optimize fluid distribution, is essential to achieve better cell performance. In this paper, a three-dimensional model of PEMFC is developed and two cathode-side flow field structures are designed: two-dimensional and three-dimensional types. The two-dimensional type is the traditional “bipolar plate + gas diffusion layer” flow field structure, easily resulting in uneven distribution of reactant gas and other problems. This study describes three novel three-dimensional type flow fields (metal foam, fine-mesh, and wire-mesh). Through comprehensive performance analysis using numerical simulations, it is found that the three-dimensional type flow fields significantly improve mass transfer and output performance compared to two-dimensional type flow fields. The proposed three-dimensional type flow fields create forced convective fluid flow. It further enhances the diffusion dispersion of reactant gas, thus making fuller use of the active region. Among them, the wire-mesh flow field shows the best performance in terms of oxygen distribution, water distribution and electrical properties. The net output power density produced is 0.75068 W cm−2, higher than parallel flow field by 32.78%.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Feng & Su, Dandan & Li, Ping & Lin, Fanxin & Miu, Guodong & Wan, Qi & Yin, Yujie, 2024. "Effects of three-dimensional type flow fields on mass transfer and performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:295:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224008831
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.131111
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544224008831
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2024.131111?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Atyabi, Seyed Ali & Afshari, Ebrahim & Zohravi, Elnaz & Udemu, Chinonyelum M., 2021. "Three-dimensional simulation of different flow fields of proton exchange membrane fuel cell using a multi-phase coupled model with cooling channel," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    2. Zhang, Jian & Huang, Pengyi & Ding, Honghui & Xin, Dongqun & Sun, Shufeng, 2023. "Investigation of the three-dimensional flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cell with additive manufactured stainless steel bipolar plates: Numerical simulation and experiments," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    3. Cai, Yonghua & Wu, Di & Sun, Jingming & Chen, Ben, 2021. "The effect of cathode channel blockages on the enhanced mass transfer and performance of PEMFC," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    4. Kang, Dong Gyun & Lee, Dong Keun & Choi, Jong Min & Shin, Dong Kyu & Kim, Min Soo, 2020. "Study on the metal foam flow field with porosity gradient in the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 931-941.
    5. Wang, Zhenhao & Hu, Kaihua & Zhang, Jian & Ding, Honghui & Xin, Dongqun & Zhang, Fengyun & Sun, Shufeng, 2023. "Gas-liquid mass transfer characteristics of a novel three-dimensional flow field bipolar plate for laser additive manufacturing of proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 308-319.
    6. Hwang, Jenn-Jiang & Dlamini, Mangaliso Menzi & Weng, Fang-Bor & Chang, Tseng & Lin, Chih-Hong & Weng, Shih-Cheng, 2022. "Simulation of fine mesh implementation on the cathode for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PA).
    7. Son, Jonghyun & Um, Sukkee & Kim, Young-Beom, 2022. "Relationship between number of turns of serpentine structure with metal foam flow field and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell performance," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 372-383.
    8. Zhou, Yu & Chen, Ben & Meng, Kai & Zhou, Haoran & Chen, Wenshang & Zhang, Ning & Deng, Qihao & Yang, Guanghua & Tu, Zhengkai, 2023. "Optimal design of a cathode flow field for performance enhancement of PEM fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 343(C).
    9. Wan, Zhongmin & Yan, Hanzhang & Sun, Yun & Yang, Chen & Chen, Xi & Kong, Xiangzhong & Chen, Yiyu & Tu, Zhengkai & Wang, Xiaodong, 2023. "Thermal management improvement of air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell by using metal foam flow field," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 333(C).
    10. Zhou, Yu & Chen, Ben, 2023. "Investigation of optimization and evaluation criteria for flow field in proton exchange membrane fuel cell: A critical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    11. Chen, Xi & Yang, Chen & Sun, Yun & Liu, Qinxiao & Wan, Zhongmin & Kong, Xiangzhong & Tu, Zhengkai & Wang, Xiaodong, 2022. "Water management and structure optimization study of nickel metal foam as flow distributors in proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wu, Y. & Xu, L. & Zhou, S. & Yang, J. & Kockelmann, W. & Han, Y. & Li, Q. & Chen, W. & Coppens, M.-O. & Shearing, P.R. & Brett, D.J.L. & Jervis, R., 2024. "Water management and mass transport of a fractal metal foam flow-field based polymer electrolyte fuel cell using operando neutron imaging," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 364(C).
    2. Zhou, Yu & Wu, Mingyang & Meng, Kai & Liu, Yurong & Rao, Peng & Wu, Xiao & Huang, Shuyi & Li, Ke & Zheng, Chongwei & Wu, Daoxiong & Deng, Peilin & Li, Jing & Tian, Xinlong & Kang, Zhenye, 2024. "Microscale structure optimization of catalyst layer for comprehensive performance enhancement in proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    3. Zhang, Yong & He, Shirong & Jiang, Xiaohui & Wang, Zhuo & Yang, Xi & Fang, Haoyan & Li, Qiming & Cao, Jing, 2024. "Investigation on performance of full-scale proton exchange membrane fuel cell: Porous foam flow field with integrated bipolar plate/gas diffusion layer," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    4. Lian, Yunsong & Zhu, Zhengchao & You, Changtang & Lin, Liangliang & Lin, Fengtian & Lin, Le & Huang, Yating & Zhou, Wei, 2023. "Structural optimization of fiber porous self-humidifying flow field plates applied to proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    5. Qiao, Jia Nan & Guo, Hang & Ye, Fang & Chen, Hao, 2024. "A nonlinear contraction channel design inspired by typical mathematical curves: Boosting net power and water discharge of PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 357(C).
    6. Ma, Haoran & Liu, Junheng & Liang, Wenwen & Li, Jiyu & Zhao, Wenyao & Sun, Ping & Ji, Qian, 2024. "Effects of PEMFC cooling channel insulation coating on heat transfer and electrical discharge characteristics of nanofluid coolants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 357(C).
    7. Sun, Yun & Lin, Yixiong & Wang, Qinglian & Yang, Chen & Yin, Wang & Wan, Zhongmin & Qiu, Ting, 2024. "Novel design and numerical investigation of a windward bend flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    8. Cai, Yonghua & Liu, Xiaomu & Wei, Fan & Luo, Zixian & Chen, Ben, 2024. "Numerical and experimental study on mass transfer and performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell with a gradient 3D flow field," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 361(C).
    9. Yu, Xianxian & Cai, Shanshan & Luo, Xiaobing & Tu, Zhengkai, 2024. "Barrel effect in an air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 286(C).
    10. Hwang, Jenn-Jiang & Dlamini, Mangaliso Menzi & Weng, Fang-Bor & Chang, Tseng & Lin, Chih-Hong & Weng, Shih-Cheng, 2022. "Simulation of fine mesh implementation on the cathode for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PA).
    11. Luo, Zongkai & Chen, Ke & Zou, Guofu & Deng, Qihao & He, Dandi & Xiong, Zhongzhuang & Chen, Wenshang & Chen, Ben, 2024. "Dynamic response characteristics and water-gas-heat synergistic transport mechanism of proton exchange membrane fuel cell during transient loading," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 302(C).
    12. Zhou, Yu & Chen, Ben & Meng, Kai & Zhou, Haoran & Chen, Wenshang & Zhang, Ning & Deng, Qihao & Yang, Guanghua & Tu, Zhengkai, 2023. "Optimal design of a cathode flow field for performance enhancement of PEM fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 343(C).
    13. Wang, Yulin & Guan, Chao & Li, Hua & Zhao, Yulong & Wang, Cheng & He, Wei, 2023. "Flow field configuration design for a large-scale hydrogen polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 351(C).
    14. Zhou, Yu & Chen, Ben, 2023. "Investigation of optimization and evaluation criteria for flow field in proton exchange membrane fuel cell: A critical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    15. Yulin Wang & Xiangling Liao & Guokun Liu & Haokai Xu & Chao Guan & Huixuan Wang & Hua Li & Wei He & Yanzhou Qin, 2023. "Review of Flow Field Designs for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-54, May.
    16. Kermani, M.J. & Moein-Jahromi, M. & Hasheminasab, M.R. & Ebrahimi, F. & Wei, L. & Guo, J. & Jiang, F.M., 2022. "Application of a foam-based functionally graded porous material flow-distributor to PEM fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PB).
    17. Zhang, Yong & He, Shirong & Jiang, Xiaohui & Xiong, Mu & Ye, Yuntao & Yang, Xi, 2023. "Three-dimensional multi-phase simulation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance considering constriction straight channel," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    18. Liao, Shuxin & Qiu, Diankai & Yi, Peiyun & Peng, Linfa & Lai, Xinmin, 2022. "Modeling of a novel cathode flow field design with optimized sub-channels to improve drainage for proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    19. Wang, Jiatang & Zhang, Houcheng & Cai, Weiwei & Ye, Weiqiang & Tong, Yiheng & Cheng, Hansong, 2023. "Effect of varying rib area portions on the performance of PEM fuel cells: Insights into design and optimization," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    20. Yonghua Cai & Jingming Sun & Fan Wei & Ben Chen, 2022. "Effect of Baffle Dimensionless Size Factor on the Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-19, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:295:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224008831. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.