Water Management Capacity of Metal Foam Flow Field for PEMFC under Flooding Situation

Abstract

Porous metal foam with complex opening geometry has been used as a flow field to enhance the distribution of reactant gas and the removal of water in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. In this study, the water management capacity of a metal foam flow field is experimentally investigated by polarization curve tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. Additionally, the dynamic behavior of water at the cathode and anode under various flooding situations is examined. It is found that obvious flooding phenomena are observed after water addition both into the anode and cathode, which are alleviated during a constant-potential test at 0.6 V. Greater abilities of anti-flooding and mass transfer and higher current densities are found as the same amount of water is added at the anode. No diffusion loop is depicted in the impedance plots although a 58.3% flow volume is occupied by water. The maximum current density of 1.0 A cm−2 and the lowest Rct around 17 mΩ cm2 are obtained at the optimum state after 40 and 50 min of operation as 2.0 and 2.5 g of water are added, respectively. The porous metal pores store a certain amount of water to humidify the membrane and achieve an internal “self-humidification” function.

Keywords

• fuel cell
• flow field
• porous metal foam
• water management
• self-humidification