Simulation of Effect of Diffusion Layer and Other Structural Parameters on the Performance of Hydrogen fuel Cell

Abstract

Aims: Gas diffusion layer (GDL), catalytic layer (CL) and proton exchange membrane (PEM) are important components of hydrogen fuel cell (HFC). In this paper, the thickness of the diffusion layer, the catalytic layer and the proton exchange membrane of the hydrogen fuel cell are mainly simulated and analyzed, and the structural parameters with relatively good performance of the hydrogen fuel cell are obtained.
 Place and Duration of Study: North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, between November 2021 and March 2022.
 Methodology: Fuel cell models with different diffusion layers, catalytic layers and proton exchange membrane thicknesses were established by ANSYS, and simulated and analyzed them in the PEMFC module in Fluent, comparing the temperature distribution, water distribution and current density distribution of HFC with diffusion layer thickness, catalytic layer thickness and proton exchange membrane thickness, and comparing the structural parameters with relatively good performance of hydrogen fuel cells.
 Conclusion: The results show that the thicker the diffusion layer is, the more unfavorable the product water is discharged, which hinders the diffusion of oxygen and reduces the performance of fuel cell; The larger the thickness of the catalytic layer, the higher the current density and the better the performance of the hydrogen fuel cell; The larger the thickness of proton exchange membrane, the negative effect on the diffusion of reactive gas, the lower the reaction efficiency and current density of fuel cell, and the lower the performance of fuel cell.