ABSTRACT
In developing a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, a high current density is encountered, thus requiring a novel flow field with great drainage performance. Our previous study proposed a novel compound flow field called an active drainage flow field with three inlets, which has an excellent output and drainage performance. Furthermore, the influence of muti-inlet reactant gas allocation on the three inlets is discussed in this study. The results showed that the small mass flow in the active drainage (AD) channel causes a waste of active area, while the large mass flow in the AD channel causes under-ribs convection. Considering the output and drainage performance, the 15% AD mass flow case shows the best performance under the high relative humidity investigation.
ABSTRACT
Excess water seriously affects the performance and lifetime of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). This study proposes a novel compound flow field, which is named the active drainage flow field (ADFF). The new design enhances the drainage performance by under-ribs flow, while the output performance is very close to that of the conventional serpentine flow field (CSFF). Additionally, the ADFF bipolar plate has been taken as a cathode while retaining CSFF as an anode; the combination shows a good output performance under high relative humidity. The peak power density has reached to 0.59 W/cm2, which is 13% higher than that of the CSFF.
