IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v219y2023ip1s0960148123013101.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enhancement of water droplet drainage performance in a cathode flow channel with baffles for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Yulin
  • Wang, Han
  • Wang, Guozhuo
  • Li, Hua
  • Zhao, Yulong
  • He, Wei

Abstract

A reasonable design of flow channel is crucial for water management of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), and thus the cell performance. This paper develops newly designed baffles on a cathode flow channel to boost the water droplet drainage ability. The water droplet drainage characteristics within the novel flow channel are investigated by using a volume of fluid (VOF) method. The results show that the baffle height and number have a significant impact on the water droplet drainage performance. An appropriately increased baffle height and number leads to a shorter water droplet drainage time with a relatively low pressure drop. The water droplet drainage time for baffle height and number of 0.25 mm and 7 is reduced to 8.5 ms from 22.5 ms compared with that for the conventional channel. However, a too large baffle height and number could yield a very large pressure drop, thereby causing the water droplet detachment from the GDL surface and finally adsorption to the sidewalls. An optimal non-uniform interval layout of baffles along the channel can further shorten the water droplet drainage time by 6.25%. These findings can guide the optimal design of flow channels with baffles for a high-performance fuel cell.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Yulin & Wang, Han & Wang, Guozhuo & Li, Hua & Zhao, Yulong & He, Wei, 2023. "Enhancement of water droplet drainage performance in a cathode flow channel with baffles for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 219(P1).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:219:y:2023:i:p1:s0960148123013101
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2023.119395
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148123013101
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2023.119395?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. Guo, Hang & Liu, Xuan & Zhao, Jian Fu & Ye, Fang & Ma, Chong Fang, 2016. "Effect of low gravity on water removal inside proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with different flow channel configurations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 926-934.
    2. Ikechukwu S. Anyanwu & Yuze Hou & Wenmiao Chen & Fengwen Pan & Qing Du & Jin Xuan & Kui Jiao, 2019. "Numerical Investigation of Liquid Water Transport Dynamics in Novel Hybrid Sinusoidal Flow Channel Designs for PEMFC," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-20, October.
    3. Wang, Yulin & Xu, Haokai & Zhang, Zhe & Li, Hua & Wang, Xiaodong, 2022. "Lattice Boltzmann simulation of a gas diffusion layer with a gradient polytetrafluoroethylene distribution for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    4. Wang, Yulin & Wang, Xiaodong & Wang, Xiaoai & Liu, Tao & Zhu, Tingting & Liu, Shengchun & Qin, Yanzhou, 2021. "Droplet dynamic characteristics on PEM fuel cell cathode gas diffusion layer with gradient pore size distribution," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 864-874.
    5. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Wu, Horng-Wen, 2015. "A three-dimensional numerical investigation of trapezoid baffles effect on non-isothermal reactant transport and cell net power in a PEMFC," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 81-95.
    6. Afshari, E. & Mosharaf-Dehkordi, M. & Rajabian, H., 2017. "An investigation of the PEM fuel cells performance with partially restricted cathode flow channels and metal foam as a flow distributor," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 705-715.
    7. 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).
    8. Yin, Yan & Wu, Shiyu & Qin, Yanzhou & Otoo, Obed Nenyi & Zhang, Junfeng, 2020. "Quantitative analysis of trapezoid baffle block sloping angles on oxygen transport and performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    9. Wang, Yulin & Wang, Xiaoai & Fan, Yuanzhi & He, Wei & Guan, Jinglei & Wang, Xiaodong, 2022. "Numerical Investigation of Tapered Flow Field Configurations for Enhanced Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PA).
    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. 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).
    2. Chen, Hao & Guo, Hang & Ye, Fang & MA, Chong Fang, 2022. "Cell performance and flow losses of proton exchange membrane fuel cells with orientated-type flow channels," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 1338-1352.
    3. 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.
    4. Yu, Rui Jiao & Guo, Hang & Ye, Fang & Chen, Hao, 2022. "Multi-parameter optimization of stepwise distribution of parameters of gas diffusion layer and catalyst layer for PEMFC peak power density," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    5. Rostami, Leila & Haghshenasfard, Masoud & Sadeghi, Morteza & Zhiani, Mohammad, 2022. "A 3D CFD model of novel flow channel designs based on the serpentine and the parallel design for performance enhancement of PEMFC," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    6. Gong, Fan & Yang, Xiaolong & Zhang, Xun & Mao, Zongqiang & Gao, Weitao & Wang, Cheng, 2023. "The study of Tesla valve flow field on the net power of proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 329(C).
    7. 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).
    8. Jiang, Wei & Zhang, Kai & Huang, Xing & Cai, Zhen & Zheng, Jinjin & Kai, Yue & Zheng, Bailin & Song, Ke, 2024. "Influence of clamping pressure on contact pressure uniformity and electrical output performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 353(PA).
    9. Xiong, Kangning & Wu, Wei & Wang, Shuangfeng & Zhang, Lin, 2021. "Modeling, design, materials and fabrication of bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cell: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    10. Guo, Hang & Zhao, Qiang & Ye, Fang, 2022. "An experimental study on gas and liquid two-phase flow in orientated-type flow channels of proton exchange membrane fuel cells by using a side-view method," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 603-618.
    11. 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).
    12. 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).
    13. Wu, Horng-Wen & Shih, Gin-Jang & Chen, Yi-Bin, 2018. "Effect of operational parameters on transport and performance of a PEM fuel cell with the best protrusive gas diffusion layer arrangement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 47-58.
    14. Wang, Yulin & Zhang, Penghui & Gao, Yuyao & He, Wei & Zhao, Yulong & Wang, Xiaodong, 2022. "Optimal design of cathode gas diffusion layer with arrayed grooves for performance enhancement of a PEM fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 697-709.
    15. 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).
    16. Xia, Zhifeng & Chen, Huicui & Zhang, Ruirui & Weng, Qianyao & Zhang, Tong & Pei, Pucheng, 2023. "Behavior analysis of PEMFC with geometric configuration variation during multiple-step loading reduction process," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 349(C).
    17. Huang, Haozhong & Liu, Mingxin & Li, Xuan & Guo, Xiaoyu & Wang, Tongying & Li, Songwei & Lei, Han, 2022. "Numerical simulation and visualization study of a new tapered-slope serpentine flow field in proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    18. Zhu, Kai-Qi & Ding, Quan & Zhang, Ben-Xi & Xu, Jiang-Hai & Li, Dan-Dan & Yang, Yan-Ru & Lee, Duu-Jong & Wan, Zhong-Min & Wang, Xiao-Dong, 2024. "Performance enhancement of air-cooled PEMFC stack by employing tapered oblique fin channels: Experimental study of a full stack and numerical analysis of a typical single cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 358(C).
    19. Wang, Yulin & Wang, Xiaoai & Fan, Yuanzhi & He, Wei & Guan, Jinglei & Wang, Xiaodong, 2022. "Numerical Investigation of Tapered Flow Field Configurations for Enhanced Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PA).
    20. Li, Hong-Wei & Liu, Jun-Nan & Yang, Yue & Fan, Wenxuan & Lu, Guo-Long, 2022. "Research on mass transport characteristics and net power performance under different flow channel streamlined imitated water-drop block arrangements for proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).

    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:renene:v:219:y:2023:i:p1:s0960148123013101. 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/renewable-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.