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Effect of operational parameters on transport and performance of a PEM fuel cell with the best protrusive gas diffusion layer arrangement

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  • Wu, Horng-Wen
  • Shih, Gin-Jang
  • Chen, Yi-Bin

Abstract

The proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is regarded as the best choice in the next power generation source in recent years due to its high fuel conversion efficiency, low noise, no emissions, and so on. The performance of the PEM fuel cell is dominated by the flow field design. The authors first numerically explore how the changed flow field design by the arrangement pattern of the protrusive gas diffusion layer (GDL) affects the cell performance for a full-scale serpentine channel. The best arrangement pattern of the protrusive GDL is then used to find the optimal combined factors by Taguchi design of experiments. The optimal energy conversion and conservation for this arrangement can upgrade the PEM fuel cell performance about 12% while decreasing pressure drop is approximately 35%. In addition, employing experimental data validates the calculation results of the flow channel design. Both the numerical and the experimental results can contribute to a better comprehension of the flow phenomenon that occurs in the energy process device.

Suggested Citation

  • Wu, Horng-Wen & Shih, Gin-Jang & Chen, Yi-Bin, 2018. "Effect of operational parameters on transport and performance of a PEM fuel cell with the best protrusive gas diffusion layer arrangement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 47-58.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:220:y:2018:i:c:p:47-58
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.03.030
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    Cited by:

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    2. Chen, Huicui & Zhao, Xin & Qu, Bingwang & Zhang, Tong & Pei, Pucheng & Li, Congxin, 2018. "An evaluation method of gas distribution quality in dynamic process of proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 26-35.
    3. 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).
    4. Dong, Pengcheng & Xie, Gongnan & Ni, Meng, 2020. "The mass transfer characteristics and energy improvement with various partially blocked flow channels in a PEM fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    5. Ren, Peng & Meng, Yining & Pei, Pucheng & Fu, Xi & Chen, Dongfang & Li, Yuehua & Zhu, Zijing & Zhang, Lu & Wang, Mingkai, 2023. "Rapid synchronous state-of-health diagnosis of membrane electrode assemblies in fuel cell stacks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 330(PA).
    6. Xing, Shuang & Zhao, Chen & Liu, Wei & Zou, Jiexin & Chen, Ming & Wang, Haijiang, 2021. "Effects of bolt torque and gasket geometric parameters on open-cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    7. Abdollahipour, Armin & Sayyaadi, Hoseyn, 2022. "A novel electrochemical refrigeration system based on the combined proton exchange membrane fuel cell-electrolyzer," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).
    8. Mingzhang Pan & Chengjie Pan & Jinyang Liao & Chao Li & Rong Huang & Qiwei Wang, 2021. "Assessment of Sensitivity to Evaluate the Impact of Operating Parameters on Stability and Performance in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-23, July.
    9. Niu, Zhiqiang & Bao, Zhiming & Wu, Jingtian & Wang, Yun & Jiao, Kui, 2018. "Two-phase flow in the mixed-wettability gas diffusion layer of proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 443-450.
    10. Lin, Rui & Tang, Shenghao & Diao, Xiaoyu & Zhong, Di & Chen, Liang & Froning, Dieter & Hao, Zhixian, 2020. "Detailed optimization of multiwall carbon nanotubes doped microporous layer in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells for enhanced performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    11. Chen, Huicui & He, Yuxiang & Zhang, Xinfeng & Zhao, Xin & Zhang, Tong & Pei, Pucheng, 2018. "A method to study the intake consistency of the dual-stack polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system under dynamic operating conditions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 1050-1058.
    12. Liu, Dengcheng & Lin, Rui & Feng, Bowen & Han, Lihang & Zhang, Yu & Ni, Meng & Wu, Sai, 2019. "Localised electrochemical impedance spectroscopy investigation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells using Print circuit board based interference-free system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    13. Wu, Ziyao & Pei, Pucheng & Xu, Huachi & Jia, Xiaoning & Ren, Peng & Wang, Bozheng, 2019. "Study on the effect of membrane electrode assembly parameters on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell performance by galvanostatic charging method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    14. Shahgaldi, Samaneh & Ozden, Adnan & Li, Xianguo & Hamdullahpur, Feridun, 2020. "A scaled-up proton exchange membrane fuel cell with enhanced performance and durability," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).

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