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

Xi Chen; Yao Chen; Qian Liu; Jianghai Xu; Qinxiao Liu; Wenbin Li; Yan Zhang; Zhongmin Wan; Xiaodong Wang

Energy Reports (Nov 2021)

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

Xi Chen,
Yao Chen,
Qian Liu,
Jianghai Xu,
Qinxiao Liu,
Wenbin Li,
Yan Zhang,
Zhongmin Wan,
Xiaodong Wang

Affiliations

Xi Chen: College of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yueyang 414006, China; Corresponding authors.
Yao Chen: College of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yueyang 414006, China
Qian Liu: College of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yueyang 414006, China
Jianghai Xu: College of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yueyang 414006, China
Qinxiao Liu: College of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yueyang 414006, China
Wenbin Li: College of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yueyang 414006, China
Yan Zhang: College of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yueyang 414006, China
Zhongmin Wan: College of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yueyang 414006, China; Corresponding authors.
Xiaodong Wang: Research Center of Engineering Thermophysics, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7
pp. 336 – 347

Abstract

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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.

Published in Energy Reports

ISSN: 2352-4847 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy-reports/

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