The effect of curved membrane electrode assemblies on performances of parallel and interdigitated flow field PEMFCs with wavelike gas channels

Abstract

The effect of curved membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) on performances of parallel and interdigitated flow field PEMFCs with wavelike gas channels (GCs) are for the first time investigated at various curved MEA deformation levels, where the curved MEA is triggered by the pressure difference between anodes and cathodes. The results show that on the cathode side of parallel flow field PEMFCs with wavelike GCs, the oxygen consumption and liquid water generation are small with the increased MEA deformation level at the high operation voltage being larger than 0.8 V, leading to the constant cell performance, that is, leading to the constant output current density. However, the current density is first increased and then decreased with the increased MEA deformation level at the low operation voltage being less than 0.8 V. Because at the low operation voltage, the oxygen consumption and liquid water generation are significantly increased and affected by the increased MEA deformation level. When the MEA deformation level is increased at the high operation voltage being larger than 0.8 V, the current density of interdigitated flow PEMFCs with wavelike GCs is also constant because of small oxygen consumptions and liquid water generations. However the oxygen consumption and liquid water generation are large enough and depend on the oxygen transport and liquid water removal at the low operation voltage being less than 0.8 V. At the low voltage, the oxygen transport and liquid water removal are modified by the increased MEA deformation level. Consequently the current density is first decreased and then increased at the low operation voltage.