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Experimental performance assessment of metal-foam flow fields for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

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  • Awin, Yussef
  • Dukhan, Nihad

Abstract

Interest in fuel-cell technology as a clean power source has been increasing. Fuel cells are prime candidates for replacing internal combustion engines, and for use as power plants. Flow fields in bipolar plates of proton exchange membrane fuel cells distribute reactants over the reactive sites of the membrane electrode assembly. Bipolar plates are typically graphite with parallel or serpentine channels as flow fields. The efficiency of a fuel cell or a stack depends on the performance of the bipolar plates, which is contingent on the flow field design. The drawbacks of graphite include heavy weight, fabrication inaccuracy, high cost, fixed porosity, and brittleness. In this paper, open-cell metal foam is experimentally investigated as a flow field for a new bipolar plate design. The performance of the conventional bipolar plate with a serpentine flow field is directly compared to that of the metal-foam designs (with various porosities) at the same operational conditions. Results show that, in the case of the new design, the cell current, voltage and power density are improved, and temperature and pressure distributions on the membrane are more even. Metal-foam flow fields are seen to maintain safe operating temperature for the membrane (55–87 °C). Just as important, the conversion efficiency is 9.9% higher for the metal-foam design, and its weight is 27.8% lower compared to the graphite bipolar plate. There is a savings of 4% in hydrogen use when using the metal-foam flow fields. As such the new design is a viable replacement for the conventional graphite bipolar plate.

Suggested Citation

  • Awin, Yussef & Dukhan, Nihad, 2019. "Experimental performance assessment of metal-foam flow fields for proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 1-1.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:252:y:2019:i:c:61
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.113458
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    1. Chen, Hao & Guo, Hang & Ye, Fang & MA, Chong Fang, 2022. "Cell performance and flow losses of proton exchange membrane fuel cells with orientated-type flow channels," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 1338-1352.
    2. Ali A. Hmad & Nihad Dukhan, 2021. "Cooling Design for PEM Fuel-Cell Stacks Employing Air and Metal Foam: Simulation and Experiment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-19, May.
    3. Qiu, Diankai & Peng, Linfa & Yi, Peiyun & Lehnert, Werner & Lai, Xinmin, 2021. "Review on proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack assembly: Quality evaluation, assembly method, contact behavior and process design," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    4. Somayeh Toghyani & Seyed Ali Atyabi & Xin Gao, 2021. "Enhancing the Specific Power of a PEM Fuel Cell Powered UAV with a Novel Bean-Shaped Flow Field," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-23, April.
    5. Chen, Xi & Yang, Chen & Sun, Yun & Liu, Qinxiao & Wan, Zhongmin & Kong, Xiangzhong & Tu, Zhengkai & Wang, Xiaodong, 2022. "Water management and structure optimization study of nickel metal foam as flow distributors in proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    6. Abdul Ghani Olabi & Tabbi Wilberforce & Abdulrahman Alanazi & Parag Vichare & Enas Taha Sayed & Hussein M. Maghrabie & Khaled Elsaid & Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem, 2022. "Novel Trends in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-35, July.
    7. Wang, Yulin & Wang, Xiaoai & Fan, Yuanzhi & He, Wei & Guan, Jinglei & Wang, Xiaodong, 2022. "Numerical Investigation of Tapered Flow Field Configurations for Enhanced Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PA).
    8. Kermani, M.J. & Moein-Jahromi, M. & Hasheminasab, M.R. & Ebrahimi, F. & Wei, L. & Guo, J. & Jiang, F.M., 2022. "Application of a foam-based functionally graded porous material flow-distributor to PEM fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PB).
    9. Son, Jonghyun & Um, Sukkee & Kim, Young-Beom, 2022. "Relationship between number of turns of serpentine structure with metal foam flow field and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell performance," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 372-383.
    10. Lian, Yunsong & Zhu, Zhengchao & You, Changtang & Lin, Liangliang & Lin, Fengtian & Lin, Le & Huang, Yating & Zhou, Wei, 2023. "Structural optimization of fiber porous self-humidifying flow field plates applied to proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    11. Xiong, Kangning & Wu, Wei & Wang, Shuangfeng & Zhang, Lin, 2021. "Modeling, design, materials and fabrication of bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cell: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    12. Chen, Qin & Zhang, Guobin & Zhang, Xuzhong & Sun, Cheng & Jiao, Kui & Wang, Yun, 2021. "Thermal management of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: A review of cooling methods, material properties, and durability," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 286(C).

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