Optimization of flow field structure for proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack by multi-physics coupling simulation

Abstract

In this paper, the three demission multi-physics model for the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), which carefully considers the mass, momentum, energy, species and electric charges conserving and liquid water managing processes, has been completed. The grid independence verification and good agreements between the calculated results and the reported experimental results well illustrate the validation of the developed model. Then, it is further used to investigate the potential application of the novel compensation flow field by comparing the PEMFCs with the parallel flow channel and the parallel-serpentine-parallel flow channel. The research result show that although there is low pressure difference throughout the PEMFC, there is a big oxygen depleting zone over the electrolyte surface, while the parallel flow channel is adopted. Choosing the parallel-serpentine-parallel flow channel will have more uniform oxygen and electrochemical reacting distributions over the electrolyte surface and higher water management ability than that of the PEMFC with parallel flow channel.