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Optimum design of the slotted-interdigitated channels flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cells with consideration of the gas diffusion layer intrusion

Author

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  • Peng, Linfa
  • Mai, Jianming
  • Hu, Peng
  • Lai, Xinmin
  • Lin, Zhongqin

Abstract

The design of the flow field greatly affects the flow distribution and the final performance of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system. The clamping force between the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and the flow field plate (FFP) will cause the inhomogeneous compression of the GDL. Then the GDL will be intruded into the reactant gas channels and eventually change the flow distribution. This paper presents a study on the effect of the intrusion of the GDL on the flow field in a PEMFC, and tries to explain the reason for poor performance of the previous design of the flow field other than those have been studied in other papers such as GDL roughness, porosity, etc. First of all, a linear analytical model is used to analyze the sensitivities of the flow field to the GDL intrusion, and then used to estimate the effect of the GDL intrusion on the flow field distribution. Secondly, a multi-objective optimization model is proposed to eliminate the nonuniform distribution in the flow field with the GDL intrusion taken into consideration. Subsequently, three different designs are analyzed and compared with each other as a demonstration to show the effect of the GDL intrusion. From the analysis results, it is recommended that the effect of the GDL intrusion on the multi-depth flow field should be taken into consideration and the flow field should be insensitive to the GDL intrusion to obtain high robust performance. The results obtained in the study provide the designer some useful guidelines in the concept design of flow field configurations.

Suggested Citation

  • Peng, Linfa & Mai, Jianming & Hu, Peng & Lai, Xinmin & Lin, Zhongqin, 2011. "Optimum design of the slotted-interdigitated channels flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cells with consideration of the gas diffusion layer intrusion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 1413-1420.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:36:y:2011:i:5:p:1413-1420
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2010.11.031
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Shao, Heng & Qiu, Diankai & Peng, Linfa & Yi, Peiyun & Lai, Xinmin, 2019. "Modeling and analysis of water droplet dynamics in the dead-ended anode gas channel for proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 842-851.
    2. 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.
    3. Qiu, Diankai & Peng, Linfa & Tang, Jiayu & Lai, Xinmin, 2020. "Numerical analysis of air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cells with various cathode flow channels," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    4. 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.
    5. Cha, Dowon & Ahn, Jae Hwan & Kim, Hyung Soon & Kim, Yongchan, 2015. "Effects of clamping force on the water transport and performance of a PEM (proton electrolyte membrane) fuel cell with relative humidity and current density," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P2), pages 1338-1344.

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