IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v226y2024ics0960148124004762.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Experimental evaluation of flow field design on open-cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) short stack consisting of three cells

Author

Listed:
  • Weng, Fang-Bor
  • Dlamini, Mangaliso Menzi
  • Tirumalasetti, Pandu Ranga
  • Hwang, Jenn-Jiang

Abstract

The promising nature of proton exchange membrane fuel cell stacks in energy conversion has sparked the need to improve the cell components for improved performance, durability, sustainability, and cost competitiveness. This work presents the pros and cons of different flow field designs concluded from an open-cathode short stack, composed of three cells. The flow fields consist of 3D fine mesh, fine wire mesh, metal foam, and conventional straight channels. The results presented in this study show that the fine wire mesh gives better performance, both when integrated, and not integrated with straight channels. It is followed by the 3D fine mesh, straight channels, and metal foam. The different performance improvements are caused by the various flow fields influencing flow rate, current conductivity, and temperature increment. Water management seems to be a significant factor in the performance variation. This is presented by the IV curves, which show a dramatic discrepancy over the concentration loss region. The straight channels integrated with fine wire mesh cell have the highest degradation rate at a constant voltage of 1.7 V, even though it reached a constant value after 1.4 h of operation.

Suggested Citation

  • Weng, Fang-Bor & Dlamini, Mangaliso Menzi & Tirumalasetti, Pandu Ranga & Hwang, Jenn-Jiang, 2024. "Experimental evaluation of flow field design on open-cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) short stack consisting of three cells," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:226:y:2024:i:c:s0960148124004762
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2024.120411
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148124004762
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2024.120411?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. Xing, Shuang & Zhao, Chen & Liu, Wei & Zou, Jiexin & Chen, Ming & Wang, Haijiang, 2021. "Effects of bolt torque and gasket geometric parameters on open-cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    2. Pandu Ranga Tirumalasetti & Fang-Bor Weng & Mangaliso Menzi Dlamini & Chia-Hung Chen, 2024. "Numerical Simulation of Double Layered Wire Mesh Integration on the Cathode for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-15, January.
    3. Santos, Diogo F.M. & Ferreira, Rui B. & Falcão, D.S. & Pinto, A.M.F.R., 2022. "Evaluation of a fuel cell system designed for unmanned aerial vehicles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    4. Zhao, Chen & Xing, Shuang & Liu, Wei & Chen, Ming & Wang, Haijiang, 2021. "Performance and thermal optimization of different length-width ratio for air-cooled open-cathode fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 1250-1260.
    5. Zhou, Kehan & Liu, Zhiwei & Zhang, Xin & Liu, Hang & Meng, Nan & Huang, Jianmei & Qi, Mingjing & Song, Xizhen & Yan, Xiaojun, 2022. "A kW-level integrated propulsion system for UAV powered by PEMFC with inclined cathode flow structure design," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 328(C).
    6. Zhang, Jikai & Wang, Changjian & Zhang, Aifeng, 2022. "Experimental study on temperature and performance of an open-cathode PEMFC stack under thermal radiation environment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 311(C).
    7. Kurnia, Jundika C. & Chaedir, Benitta A. & Sasmito, Agus P. & Shamim, Tariq, 2021. "Progress on open cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cell: Performance, designs, challenges and future directions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    8. Shen, Jun & Du, Changqing & Yan, Fuwu & Chen, Ben & Tu, Zhengkai, 2022. "Experimental study on the dynamic performance of a power system with dual air-cooled PEMFC stacks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).
    9. Yu, Xingzi & Zhang, Caizhi & Li, Mengxiao & Wang, Gucheng & Tu, Zhengkai & Yu, Tao & Dong, Hui & Zhao, Fuqiang, 2024. "Thermal management of an open-cathode PEMFC based on constraint generalized predictive control and optimized strategy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(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. Shen, Jun & Du, Changqing & Yan, Fuwu & Chen, Ben & Tu, Zhengkai, 2022. "Experimental study on the dynamic performance of a power system with dual air-cooled PEMFC stacks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).
    2. Becker, F. & Cosse, C. & Gentner, C. & Schulz, D. & Liphardt, L., 2024. "Novel electrochemical and thermodynamic conditioning approaches and their evaluation for open cathode PEM-FC stacks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 363(C).
    3. Chang, Huawei & Cai, Fengyang & Yu, Xianxian & Duan, Chen & Chan, Siew Hwa & Tu, Zhengkai, 2023. "Experimental study on the thermal management of an open-cathode air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack with ultra-thin metal bipolar plates," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    4. 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).
    5. Yu, Xianxian & Luo, Xiaobing & Tu, Zhengkai, 2023. "Development of a compact high-power density air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack with ultrathin steel bipolar plates," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    6. Xing, Shuang & Zhao, Chen & Zou, Jiexin & Zaman, Shahid & Yu, Yang & Gong, Hongwei & Wang, Yajun & Chen, Ming & Wang, Min & Lin, Meng & Wang, Haijiang, 2022. "Recent advances in heat and water management of forced-convection open-cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    7. Meng, Huanru & Yu, Xianxian & Luo, Xiaobing & Tu, Zhengkai, 2024. "Modelling and operation characteristics of air-cooled PEMFC with metallic bipolar plate used in unmanned aerial vehicle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    8. 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).
    9. Qiu, Diankai & Zhou, Xiangyang & Chen, Minxue & Xu, Zhutian & Peng, Linfa, 2023. "Optimization of control strategy for air-cooled PEMFC based on in-situ observation of internal reaction state," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 350(C).
    10. Fan, Lixin & liu, Yang & Luo, Xiaobing & Tu, Zhengkai & Chan, Siew Hwa, 2023. "A novel gas supply configuration for hydrogen utilization improvement in a multi-stack air-cooling PEMFC system with dead-ended anode," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    11. Zhao, Chen & Li, Baozhu & Zhang, Lu & Han, Yaru & Wu, Xiaoyu, 2023. "Novel optimal structure design and testing of air-cooled open-cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    12. Zenan Shen & Shaoquan Liu & Wei Zhu & Daoyuan Ren & Qiang Xu & Yu Feng, 2024. "A Review on Key Technologies and Developments of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Multi-Rotor Drones," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-36, August.
    13. Yu, Zhongshuai & Liu, Fang & Li, Chengzhang, 2023. "Numerical study on effects of hydrogen ejector on PEMFC performances," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    14. Rahmani, Ebrahim & Moradi, Tofigh & Ghandehariun, Samane & Naterer, Greg F. & Ranjbar, Amirhossein, 2023. "Enhanced mass transfer and water discharge in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with a raccoon channel flow field," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    15. Wang, Hui & Wang, Zelin & Qu, Zhiguo & Zhang, Jianfei, 2023. "Deep-learning accelerating topology optimization of three-dimensional coolant channels for flow and heat transfer in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 352(C).
    16. Lan, Shunbo & Lin, Rui & Dong, Mengcheng & Lu, Kai & Lou, Mingyu, 2023. "Image recognition of cracks and the effect in the microporous layer of proton exchange membrane fuel cells on performance," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    17. Jinghui Zhao & Huijin Guo & Shaobo Ping & Zimeng Guo & Weikang Lin & Yanbo Yang & Wen Shi & Zixi Wang & Tiancai Ma, 2023. "Research on Design and Optimization of Large Metal Bipolar Plate Sealing for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-18, August.
    18. Zhao, Chen & Wang, Fei & Wu, Xiaoyu, 2024. "Analysis and review on air-cooled open cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cells: Bibliometric, environmental adaptation and prospect," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    19. Liu, Yang & Zhao, Junjie & Tu, Zhengkai, 2024. "Detecting performance degradation in a dead-ended hydrogen-oxygen proton exchange membrane fuel cell used for an unmanned underwater vehicle," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    20. Aihua Tang & Yuanhang Yang & Quanqing Yu & Zhigang Zhang & Lin Yang, 2022. "A Review of Life Prediction Methods for PEMFCs in Electric Vehicles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.

    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:226:y:2024:i:c:s0960148124004762. 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.