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An engineering approach to optimal metallic bipolar plate designs reflecting gas diffusion layer compression effects

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  • Kim, Ah-Reum
  • Jung, Hye-Mi
  • Um, Sukkee

Abstract

GDL (Gas diffusion layer) intrusion into gas feeding channels narrows the effective channel cross-sectional area and eventually results in performance degradation of PEFCs (polymer electrolyte fuel cells). Therefore, cross-sectional channel design of metallic bipolar plates should be optimized to resolve this problem. In this study, effects of the cross-sectional configuration of metallic gas channels on pressure drops are numerically investigated for the comprehensive fluid dynamic analysis of channel flow. Multi-physics numerical systems combining solid mechanics and fluid dynamics are applied to figure out the GDL behavior. First, static structural analysis is performed to determine elastic deformation of GDLs under clamping forces. Subsequently, computational flow analysis in the deformed regions is conducted to visualize flow patterns and estimate corresponding pressure drops. Four cross-sectional parameters are selected: channel to rib width ratio, draft angle, inner fillet radius and clamping pressure. Results are validated against experimental data. The GDL intrusion is found to be greatly affected by draft angle and channel to rib ratio. Cross-sectional area is reduced down to 45% in the most shrunk channel, leading additional pressure drop of 0.12 bar. It is suggested that fluid dynamics should be combined with solid mechanics for better accuracy in computational fuel cell modeling.

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  • Kim, Ah-Reum & Jung, Hye-Mi & Um, Sukkee, 2014. "An engineering approach to optimal metallic bipolar plate designs reflecting gas diffusion layer compression effects," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 50-55.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:66:y:2014:i:c:p:50-55
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2013.08.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Zhonghao & Guo, Mengdi & Yu, Zhonghao & Yao, Siyue & Wang, Jin & Qiu, Diankai & Peng, Linfa, 2022. "A novel cooperative design with optimized flow field on bipolar plates and hybrid wettability gas diffusion layer for proton exchange membrane unitized regenerative fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PD).
    2. Gabriele Loreti & Andrea Luigi Facci & Stefano Ubertini, 2021. "High-Efficiency Combined Heat and Power through a High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell and Gas Turbine Hybrid System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-24, November.
    3. Song, Ke & Wang, Yimin & Ding, Yuhang & Xu, Hongjie & Mueller-Welt, Philip & Stuermlinger, Tobias & Bause, Katharina & Ehrmann, Christopher & Weinmann, Hannes W. & Schaefer, Jens & Fleischer, Juergen , 2022. "Assembly techniques for proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack: A literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    4. Yan, Xiaohui & Lin, Chen & Zheng, Zhifeng & Chen, Junren & Wei, Guanghua & Zhang, Junliang, 2020. "Effect of clamping pressure on liquid-cooled PEMFC stack performance considering inhomogeneous gas diffusion layer compression," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    5. Keller, Nico & von Unwerth, Thomas, 2022. "Advanced parametric model for analysis of the influence of channel cross section dimensions and clamping pressure on current density distribution in PEMFC," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    6. Kim, Ah-Reum & Shin, Seungho & Um, Sukkee, 2016. "Multidisciplinary approaches to metallic bipolar plate design with bypass flow fields through deformable gas diffusion media of polymer electrolyte fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 378-389.

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