Effects of baffle position in serpentine flow channel on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

doi:10.1016/j.cjche.2024.01.010

中国化学工程学报 ›› 2024, Vol. 69 ›› Issue (5): 250-262.DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2024.01.010

Effects of baffle position in serpentine flow channel on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Guodong Xia, Xiaoya Zhang, Dandan Ma

MOE Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, Beijing Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China

收稿日期:2023-06-19 修回日期:2023-12-24 出版日期:2024-05-28 发布日期:2024-07-01
通讯作者: Dandan Ma,E-mail:madd@bjut.edu.cn
基金资助:
The research was financially supported by the Science & Technology Project of Beijing Education Committee (KM202210005013) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (52306180).

Effects of baffle position in serpentine flow channel on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Guodong Xia, Xiaoya Zhang, Dandan Ma

MOE Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, Beijing Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China

Received:2023-06-19 Revised:2023-12-24 Online:2024-05-28 Published:2024-07-01
Contact: Dandan Ma,E-mail:madd@bjut.edu.cn
Supported by:
The research was financially supported by the Science & Technology Project of Beijing Education Committee (KM202210005013) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (52306180).

摘要/Abstract

摘要： This study used a three-dimensional numerical model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with five types of channels: a smooth channel (Case 1); eight rectangular baffles were arranged in the upstream (Case 2), midstream (Case 3), downstream (Case 4), and the entire cathode flow channel (Case 5) to study the effects of baffle position on mass transport, power density, net power, etc. Moreover, the effects of back pressure and humidity on the voltage were investigated. Results showed that compared to smooth channels, the oxygen and water transport facilitation at the diffusion layer-channel interface were added 11.53%-20.60% and 7.81%-9.80% at 1.68 A·cm^-2 by adding baffles. The closer the baffles were to upstream, the higher the total oxygen flux, but the lower the flux uniformity the worse the water removal. The oxygen flux of upstream baffles was 8.14% higher than that of downstream baffles, but oxygen flux uniformity decreased by 18.96% at 1.68 A·cm^-2. The order of water removal and voltage improvement was Case 4 > Case 5 > Case 3 > Case 2 > Case 1. Net power of Case 4 was 9.87% higher than that of the smooth channel. To the Case 4, when the cell worked under low back pressure or high humidity, the voltage increments were higher. The potential increment for the back pressure of 0 atm was 0.9% higher than that of 2 atm (1 atm = 101.325 kPa). The potential increment for the humidity of 100% was 7.89% higher than that of 50%.

关键词: Proton exchange membrane fuel cell, Baffle position, Mass transfer, Net power, Uniformity, Voltage increment

Abstract: This study used a three-dimensional numerical model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with five types of channels: a smooth channel (Case 1); eight rectangular baffles were arranged in the upstream (Case 2), midstream (Case 3), downstream (Case 4), and the entire cathode flow channel (Case 5) to study the effects of baffle position on mass transport, power density, net power, etc. Moreover, the effects of back pressure and humidity on the voltage were investigated. Results showed that compared to smooth channels, the oxygen and water transport facilitation at the diffusion layer-channel interface were added 11.53%-20.60% and 7.81%-9.80% at 1.68 A·cm^-2 by adding baffles. The closer the baffles were to upstream, the higher the total oxygen flux, but the lower the flux uniformity the worse the water removal. The oxygen flux of upstream baffles was 8.14% higher than that of downstream baffles, but oxygen flux uniformity decreased by 18.96% at 1.68 A·cm^-2. The order of water removal and voltage improvement was Case 4 > Case 5 > Case 3 > Case 2 > Case 1. Net power of Case 4 was 9.87% higher than that of the smooth channel. To the Case 4, when the cell worked under low back pressure or high humidity, the voltage increments were higher. The potential increment for the back pressure of 0 atm was 0.9% higher than that of 2 atm (1 atm = 101.325 kPa). The potential increment for the humidity of 100% was 7.89% higher than that of 50%.

Key words: Proton exchange membrane fuel cell, Baffle position, Mass transfer, Net power, Uniformity, Voltage increment

Guodong Xia, Xiaoya Zhang, Dandan Ma. Effects of baffle position in serpentine flow channel on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells[J]. 中国化学工程学报, 2024, 69(5): 250-262.

Guodong Xia, Xiaoya Zhang, Dandan Ma. Effects of baffle position in serpentine flow channel on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2024, 69(5): 250-262.

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Effects of baffle position in serpentine flow channel on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Effects of baffle position in serpentine flow channel on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

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