IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i9p3722-d1133717.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Power Output Optimisation via Arranging Gas Flow Channels for Low-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) for Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles

Author

Listed:
  • James Chilver-Stainer

    (Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF, UK)

  • Anas F. A. Elbarghthi

    (Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF, UK
    Department of Applied Mechanics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Liberec, Studentská 1402/2, 46117 Liberec, Czech Republic)

  • Chuang Wen

    (Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF, UK)

  • Mi Tian

    (Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF, UK)

Abstract

As we move away from internal combustion engines to tackle climate change, the importance of hydrogen-powered vehicles and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology has dramatically increased. In the present study, we aimed to determine the optimal configuration for the power output of a PEMFC system using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling to analyse variations of the primary serpentine design of gas flow channels. This helps improve efficiency and save on valuable materials used, reducing potential carbon emissions from the production of hydrogen vehicles. Different numbers of serpentine gas channels were represented with various spacing between them, within the defined CFD model, to optimise the gas channel geometry. The results show that the optimum configuration was found to have 11 serpentine channels with a spacing of 3.25 mm. In this optimum configuration, the ratio between the channel width, channel spacing, and serpentine channel length was found to be 1:2.6:38 for PEMFCs. Furthermore, the inclusion of fillets to the bends of the serpentine gas channels was found to have a negative effect on the overall power output of the fuel cell. Moreover, the optimisation procedures with respect to the number of gas channels and the spacing revealed an optimal power density exceeding 0.65 W/cm 2 .

Suggested Citation

  • James Chilver-Stainer & Anas F. A. Elbarghthi & Chuang Wen & Mi Tian, 2023. "Power Output Optimisation via Arranging Gas Flow Channels for Low-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) for Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-18, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:9:p:3722-:d:1133717
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/9/3722/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/9/3722/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lei Yuan & Zunlong Jin & Penghui Yang & Youchen Yang & Dingbiao Wang & Xiaotang Chen, 2021. "Numerical Analysis of the Influence of Different Flow Patterns on Power and Reactant Transmission in Tubular-Shaped PEMFC," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-16, April.
    2. Athinarayanan Balasankar & Sathya Elango Arthiya & Subramaniyan Ramasundaram & Paramasivam Sumathi & Selvaraj Arokiyaraj & Taehwan Oh & Kanakaraj Aruchamy & Ganesan Sriram & Mahaveer D. Kurkuri, 2022. "Recent Advances in the Preparation and Performance of Porous Titanium-Based Anode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Su, Guoqing & Yang, Daijun & Xiao, Qiangfeng & Dai, Haiqin & Zhang, Cunman, 2021. "Effects of vortexes in feed header on air flow distribution of PEMFC stack: CFD simulation and optimization for better uniformity," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 498-506.
    4. 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).
    5. Tian, Pengjie & Liu, Xuejun & Luo, Kaiyao & Li, Hongkun & Wang, Yun, 2021. "Deep learning from three-dimensional multiphysics simulation in operational optimization and control of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell for maximum power," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang, Yulin & Guan, Chao & Li, Hua & Zhao, Yulong & Wang, Cheng & He, Wei, 2023. "Flow field configuration design for a large-scale hydrogen polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 351(C).
    2. Yulin Wang & Xiangling Liao & Guokun Liu & Haokai Xu & Chao Guan & Huixuan Wang & Hua Li & Wei He & Yanzhou Qin, 2023. "Review of Flow Field Designs for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-54, May.
    3. Emanuele Fedele & Luigi Pio Di Noia & Renato Rizzo, 2023. "Simple Loss Model of Battery Cables for Fast Transient Thermal Simulation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-13, March.
    4. Lei Li & Yude Wu & Yi Lu & Xiao Yang & Qiyang Wang & Xiaoai Wang & Yulin Wang, 2022. "Numerical Simulation on the Structural Design of a Multi-Pore Water Diffuser during the External Ice Melting Process of an Ice Storage System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-17, March.
    5. Yu, Rui Jiao & Guo, Hang & Ye, Fang & Chen, Hao, 2022. "Multi-parameter optimization of stepwise distribution of parameters of gas diffusion layer and catalyst layer for PEMFC peak power density," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    6. Rostami, Leila & Haghshenasfard, Masoud & Sadeghi, Morteza & Zhiani, Mohammad, 2022. "A 3D CFD model of novel flow channel designs based on the serpentine and the parallel design for performance enhancement of PEMFC," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    7. Feng Guo & Jian Li & Chi Zhang & Yizhi Zhu & Caiyang Yu & Qingsong Wang & Giuseppe Buja, 2023. "Optimized Power and Capacity Configuration Strategy of a Grid-Side Energy Storage System for Peak Regulation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-13, July.
    8. Vediyappan Thirumal & T. V. M. Sreekanth & Kisoo Yoo & Jinho Kim, 2023. "Biomass-Derived Hard Carbon and Nitrogen-Sulfur Co-Doped Graphene for High-Performance Symmetric Sodium Ion Capacitor Devices," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-22, January.
    9. Huang, Haozhong & Liu, Mingxin & Li, Xuan & Guo, Xiaoyu & Wang, Tongying & Li, Songwei & Lei, Han, 2022. "Numerical simulation and visualization study of a new tapered-slope serpentine flow field in proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    10. Liu, Xun & Zhang, Chen-Feng & Zhou, Jian-Gang & Xiong, Xin & Wang, Yi-Ping, 2022. "Thermal performance of battery thermal management system using fins to enhance the combination of thermoelectric Cooler and phase change Material," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    11. Fan, Lixin & Tu, Zhengkai & Chan, Siew Hwa, 2022. "Technological and Engineering design of a megawatt proton exchange membrane fuel cell system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    12. Kanakaraj Aruchamy & Athinarayanan Balasankar & Subramaniyan Ramasundaram & Tae Hwan Oh, 2023. "Recent Design and Synthesis Strategies for High-Performance Supercapacitors Utilizing ZnCo 2 O 4 -Based Electrode Materials," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-36, July.
    13. Yu, Yang & Chen, Sheng & Wu, Yuanhao, 2023. "Predicting gas diffusion layer flow information in proton exchange membrane fuel cells from cross-sectional data using deep learning methods," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    14. Qi Liang & Peirong Li & Yue Zhao & Supeng Chen & Jixiang Yin & Yingchun Lyu & Qiang Li & Qinghao Li, 2023. "Investigation on the Origin of Sluggish Anionic Redox Kinetics in Cation-Disordered Cathode," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-12, September.
    15. Pang, Yiheng & Hao, Liang & Wang, Yun, 2022. "Convolutional neural network analysis of radiography images for rapid water quantification in PEM fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 321(C).
    16. Wang, Yulin & Zhang, Penghui & Gao, Yuyao & He, Wei & Zhao, Yulong & Wang, Xiaodong, 2022. "Optimal design of cathode gas diffusion layer with arrayed grooves for performance enhancement of a PEM fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 697-709.
    17. Lingfeng Xuan & Yancheng Wang & Deqing Mei & Jingwei Lan, 2021. "Design and Modelling of 3D Bionic Cathode Flow Field for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-13, September.
    18. Wang, Yulin & Xu, Haokai & Zhang, Zhe & Li, Hua & Wang, Xiaodong, 2022. "Lattice Boltzmann simulation of a gas diffusion layer with a gradient polytetrafluoroethylene distribution for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    19. Zizhe Dong & Yuwen Liu & Yanzhou Qin, 2022. "Coupled FEM and CFD Modeling of Structure Deformation and Performance of PEMFC Considering the Effects of Membrane Water Content," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-19, July.
    20. Jinrong Yang & Yichun Wu & Xingyang Liu, 2023. "Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Power Prediction Based on Ridge Regression and Convolutional Neural Network Data-Driven Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-31, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:9:p:3722-:d:1133717. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.