Performance study on a stepped flow field design for bipolar plate in PEMFC

Energy Reports

Yao Chen¹  Xi Chen²  Yan Zhang²  Jianghai Xu²  Qinxiao Liu²  Zhongmin Wan²  Qian Liu²  Xiaodong Wang²  Wenbin Li² 

[1] Corresponding authors.;College of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yueyang 414006, China;

关键词: Proton exchange membrane fuel cell;    Flow field;    Structure design;    Gas distribution;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

In order to solve the problems of non-uniform gas concentration distribution and serious flooding in the parallel flow field of traditional PEMFC, a stepped flow field of PEMFC bipolar plate is proposed in this paper. The gas concentration distribution, velocity distribution, liquid water distribution and current density distribution of traditional parallel flow field and stepped flow fields are studied by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The results suggest that the fuel cells with stepped flow field are superior than the traditional fuel cell with parallel flow field. Compared with fuel cell with parallel flow field, the net power of fuel cell with stepped flow field is increased by 21.5%. Moreover, the stepped flow fields can improve the uniformity of gas concentration and current density distribution, accelerate the discharge of liquid water, alleviate water flooding phenomenon.

【 授权许可】

Unknown