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Effect of Bipolar Plate Material on Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance

Author

Listed:
  • Tabbi Wilberforce

    (Mechanical Engineering and Design, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK)

  • Oluwatosin Ijaodola

    (Institute of Engineering and Energy Technologies, University of the West of Scotland, Glasgow G72 0LH, UK)

  • Ahmad Baroutaji

    (School of Engineering, Telford Innovation Campus, University of Wolverhampton, Telford TF2 9NT, UK)

  • Emmanuel Ogungbemi

    (Institute of Engineering and Energy Technologies, University of the West of Scotland, Glasgow G72 0LH, UK)

  • Abdul Ghani Olabi

    (Mechanical Engineering and Design, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
    Department of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates)

Abstract

Commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells can only materials provided its performance is closely related to existing technologies useful in commercial application. Other critical parameters like the utilization of cheaper materials should be taken into account during the manufacturing of the cell. A key component in the cell that has direct correlation to the cell performance is the flow plate. The weight coupled with cost of the cell revolves around the flow plate used in the manufacturing of the cell. This study explores materials ideal for the manufacturing of fuel cells in order to improve the overall cell performance. The investigation highlights the critical impact of varying materials used in the manufacturing of flow plates for PEM fuel cells. Stainless steel (SS), aluminium (Al) and copper (Cu) were the materials considered. The flow plate designs considered were serpentine and open pore cellular foam channel. Machine learning using python for the validation of the results with Linear regression, Ridge regression and Polynomial regression algorithm was carried out. The performance of both flow field channels was compared using different bipolar plate materials. The results show that metal foam flow channels overall performance was better than serpentine flow channels with all the various bipolar plate material used and Al material outperformed Cu and SS material. There is a direct correlation in terms of the outcome of the study and literature based on the data generated experimentally. It can however be concluded that molecules of hydrogen are stable on aluminium plates compared to copper and stainless steel.

Suggested Citation

  • Tabbi Wilberforce & Oluwatosin Ijaodola & Ahmad Baroutaji & Emmanuel Ogungbemi & Abdul Ghani Olabi, 2022. "Effect of Bipolar Plate Material on Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:5:p:1886-:d:763731
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. khazaee, I. & Sabadbafan, H., 2016. "Effect of humidity content and direction of the flow of reactant gases on water management in the 4-serpentine and 1-serpentine flow channel in a PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 252-265.
    2. A.G. Olabi & Tabbi Wilberforce & Enas Taha Sayed & Khaled Elsaid & Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem, 2020. "Prospects of Fuel Cell Combined Heat and Power Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-20, August.
    3. Li, Yubai & Zhou, Zhifu & Liu, Xianglei & Wu, Wei-Tao, 2019. "Modeling of PEM fuel cell with thin MEA under low humidity operating condition," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 1513-1527.
    4. Oluwatosin Ijaodola & Emmanuel Ogungbemi & Fawwad Nisar. Khatib & Tabbi Wilberforce & Mohamad Ramadan & Zaki El Hassan & James Thompson & Abdul Ghani Olabi, 2018. "Evaluating the Effect of Metal Bipolar Plate Coating on the Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-28, November.
    5. Abdin, Z. & Webb, C.J. & Gray, E.MacA., 2016. "PEM fuel cell model and simulation in Matlab–Simulink based on physical parameters," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(P1), pages 1131-1144.
    6. Carton, J.G. & Olabi, A.G., 2017. "Three-dimensional proton exchange membrane fuel cell model: Comparison of double channel and open pore cellular foam flow plates," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 185-195.
    7. Ijaodola, O.S. & El- Hassan, Zaki & Ogungbemi, E. & Khatib, F.N. & Wilberforce, Tabbi & Thompson, James & Olabi, A.G., 2019. "Energy efficiency improvements by investigating the water flooding management on proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 246-267.
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    Cited by:

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