Investigation of thermal distribution dynamics and parameter optimization in PEMFC based on PCB segmented temperature measurement

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) hold broad prospects in clean energy applications, but thermal management remains a critical bottleneck restricting their industrialization. This study experimentally investigates the temperature distribution and evolution characteristics of PEMFCs under dynamic operating conditions. A customized printed circuit board (PCB) integrated with 16 negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistors was adopted for high-resolution temperature measurement. The results show that the serpentine flow field (SFF) exhibits superior temperature uniformity and parameter adaptability compared to the parallel flow field (PFF) due to its cross-channel heat transfer advantage. The optimal operating parameters for SFF were determined as a cathode stoichiometric ratio (ξc) of 2.0 and a backpressure (PB) of 100 kPa, with which SFF can adapt to all kinds of dynamic conditions. While the PFF requires dynamic parameter adjustment to balance temperature distribution. During dynamic operation, the high-temperature zone expands toward the center with increasing current density. The high-load condition shows more significant thermal accumulation and larger temperature differences than the low-load condition. This study facilitates a deeper understanding of the internal thermal distribution characteristics and evolution mechanisms under dynamic conditions. The proposed high-resolution temperature measurement scheme and optimized thermal management strategies offer a valuable reference paradigm for contributing to the rational design of thermal management systems.