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Effects of gas diffusion layer deformation on the transport phenomena and performance of PEM fuel cells with interdigitated flow fields

Li, Shian LU and Sundén, Bengt LU (2018) In International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 43(33). p.16279-16292
Abstract

In this study, a three-dimensional, non-isothermal, two-phase flow mathematical model is developed and applied to investigate the effect of the GDL deformation on transport phenomena and performance of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells with interdigitated flow fields. The thickness and porosity of the GDL is decreased after compression, and the corresponding transport parameters (permeability, mass diffusivity, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity) are affected significantly. The alterations in geometry and transport parameters of the GDL are considered in the mathematical model. The oxygen concentration, temperature, liquid water saturation and volumetric current density distributions of PEM fuel cells without... (More)

In this study, a three-dimensional, non-isothermal, two-phase flow mathematical model is developed and applied to investigate the effect of the GDL deformation on transport phenomena and performance of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells with interdigitated flow fields. The thickness and porosity of the GDL is decreased after compression, and the corresponding transport parameters (permeability, mass diffusivity, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity) are affected significantly. The alterations in geometry and transport parameters of the GDL are considered in the mathematical model. The oxygen concentration, temperature, liquid water saturation and volumetric current density distributions of PEM fuel cells without compression are investigated and then compared to the PEM fuel cells with various assembly forces. The numerical results show that the cell performance is considerably improved with increasing assembly forces. However, the pressure drops in the gas flow channels are also substantially increased. It is concluded that the assembly force should be as small as possible to decrease the parasitic losses with consideration of gas sealing concern.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Cell performance, GDL deformation, Interdigitated flow fields, Numerical modeling, PEM fuel cells
in
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
volume
43
issue
33
pages
14 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85050465159
ISSN
0360-3199
DOI
10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.07.064
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5af205f9-5ed6-409e-9ead-c7ca5194e0f8
date added to LUP
2018-08-15 15:10:15
date last changed
2022-04-25 08:34:36
@article{5af205f9-5ed6-409e-9ead-c7ca5194e0f8,
  abstract     = {{<p>In this study, a three-dimensional, non-isothermal, two-phase flow mathematical model is developed and applied to investigate the effect of the GDL deformation on transport phenomena and performance of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells with interdigitated flow fields. The thickness and porosity of the GDL is decreased after compression, and the corresponding transport parameters (permeability, mass diffusivity, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity) are affected significantly. The alterations in geometry and transport parameters of the GDL are considered in the mathematical model. The oxygen concentration, temperature, liquid water saturation and volumetric current density distributions of PEM fuel cells without compression are investigated and then compared to the PEM fuel cells with various assembly forces. The numerical results show that the cell performance is considerably improved with increasing assembly forces. However, the pressure drops in the gas flow channels are also substantially increased. It is concluded that the assembly force should be as small as possible to decrease the parasitic losses with consideration of gas sealing concern.</p>}},
  author       = {{Li, Shian and Sundén, Bengt}},
  issn         = {{0360-3199}},
  keywords     = {{Cell performance; GDL deformation; Interdigitated flow fields; Numerical modeling; PEM fuel cells}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{33}},
  pages        = {{16279--16292}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Hydrogen Energy}},
  title        = {{Effects of gas diffusion layer deformation on the transport phenomena and performance of PEM fuel cells with interdigitated flow fields}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.07.064}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.07.064}},
  volume       = {{43}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}