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Increasing the efficiency of a portable PEM fuel cell by altering the cathode channel geometry: A numerical and experimental study

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  • Henriques, T.
  • César, B.
  • Branco, P.J. Costa

Abstract

Portable fuel cells are receiving great attention today mainly because their energy density is higher than any portable battery solution. Among other types, portable polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are an established technology where research on increasing their efficiency is leading product development and manufacturing. The objective of this work was to study and evaluate the redesign of a commercial portable fuel cell, improving its efficiency. A three-dimensional model of the original PEM fuel cell with parallel plus a transversal flow channel design was developed using Comsol Multiphysics, including the effects of liquid water formation and electric current production. Using this model, the effects of different channel geometries and respective cathode flow rates on the cell's performance, including the local transport characteristics, were studied. Laboratory tests with various fuel cell stacks using the new channels structure were effectuated for an evaluation of the fuel cell's performance, showing improvements in its efficiency of up to 26.4%.

Suggested Citation

  • Henriques, T. & César, B. & Branco, P.J. Costa, 2010. "Increasing the efficiency of a portable PEM fuel cell by altering the cathode channel geometry: A numerical and experimental study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(4), pages 1400-1409, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:87:y:2010:i:4:p:1400-1409
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    1. Zhao, Chen & Li, Baozhu & Zhang, Lu & Han, Yaru & Wu, Xiaoyu, 2023. "Novel optimal structure design and testing of air-cooled open-cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    2. Ismail, M.S. & Ingham, D.B. & Hughes, K.J. & Ma, L. & Pourkashanian, M., 2013. "Thermal modelling of the cathode in air-breathing PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 529-537.
    3. Sasmito, Agus P. & Kurnia, Jundika C. & Mujumdar, Arun S., 2012. "Numerical evaluation of various gas and coolant channel designs for high performance liquid-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell stacks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 278-291.
    4. Zuria, Alonso Moreno & Abrego-Martinez, Juan Carlos & Sun, Shuhui & Mohamedi, Mohamed, 2020. "Prospects of membraneless mixed-reactant microfluidic fuel cells: Evolution through numerical simulation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    5. Xing, Shuang & Zhao, Chen & Zou, Jiexin & Zaman, Shahid & Yu, Yang & Gong, Hongwei & Wang, Yajun & Chen, Ming & Wang, Min & Lin, Meng & Wang, Haijiang, 2022. "Recent advances in heat and water management of forced-convection open-cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    6. Qin, Yanzhou & Li, Xianguo & Jiao, Kui & Du, Qing & Yin, Yan, 2014. "Effective removal and transport of water in a PEM fuel cell flow channel having a hydrophilic plate," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 116-126.
    7. Calili-Cankir, Fatma & Ismail, Mohammed S. & Ingham, Derek B. & Hughes, Kevin J. & Ma, Lin & Pourkashanian, Mohamed, 2022. "Air-breathing versus conventional polymer electrolyte fuel cells: A parametric numerical study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    8. Hsueh, Ching-Yi & Chu, Hsin-Sen & Yan, Wei-Mon & Chen, Chiun-Hsun, 2010. "Transport phenomena and performance of a plate methanol steam micro-reformer with serpentine flow field design," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(10), pages 3137-3147, October.
    9. Kim, Bosung & Lee, Yongtaek & Woo, Ahyoung & Kim, Yongchan, 2013. "Effects of cathode channel size and operating conditions on the performance of air-blowing PEMFCs," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 441-448.
    10. Wu, Horng-Wen, 2016. "A review of recent development: Transport and performance modeling of PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 81-106.
    11. Suprava Chakraborty & Devaraj Elangovan & Karthikeyan Palaniswamy & Ashley Fly & Dineshkumar Ravi & Denis Ashok Sathia Seelan & Thundil Karuppa Raj Rajagopal, 2022. "A Review on the Numerical Studies on the Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) Flow Channel Designs for Automotive Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-21, December.
    12. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Wu, Horng-Wen, 2011. "Non-isothermal transport phenomenon and cell performance of a cathodic PEM fuel cell with a baffle plate in a tapered channel," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 52-67, January.
    13. Baricci, Andrea & Mereu, Riccardo & Messaggi, Mirko & Zago, Matteo & Inzoli, Fabio & Casalegno, Andrea, 2017. "Application of computational fluid dynamics to the analysis of geometrical features in PEM fuel cells flow fields with the aid of impedance spectroscopy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 670-682.
    14. Wu, Horng-Wen & Ku, Hui-Wen, 2011. "The optimal parameters estimation for rectangular cylinders installed transversely in the flow channel of PEMFC from a three-dimensional PEMFC model and the Taguchi method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 4879-4890.
    15. Ismail, M.S. & Ingham, D.B. & Hughes, K.J. & Ma, L. & Pourkashanian, M., 2014. "An efficient mathematical model for air-breathing PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 490-503.
    16. Zhang, Hao & Xuan, Jin & Xu, Hong & Leung, Michael K.H. & Leung, Dennis Y.C. & Zhang, Li & Wang, Huizhi & Wang, Lei, 2013. "Enabling high-concentrated fuel operation of fuel cells with microfluidic principles: A feasibility study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1131-1137.
    17. Chen, Daifen & Zeng, Qice & Su, Shichuan & Bi, Wuxi & Ren, Zhiqiang, 2013. "Geometric optimization of a 10-cell modular planar solid oxide fuel cell stack manifold," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1100-1107.
    18. Guida, D. & Minutillo, M., 2017. "Design methodology for a PEM fuel cell power system in a more electrical aircraft," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 446-456.
    19. Huang, Zhen-Ming & Su, Ay & Liu, Ying-Chieh, 2014. "Development and testing of a hybrid system with a sub-kW open-cathode type PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell stack," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 547-553.
    20. Tirnovan, R. & Giurgea, S. & Miraoui, A., 2011. "Strategies for optimizing the opening of the outlet air circuit's nozzle to improve the efficiency of the PEMFC generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(4), pages 1197-1204, April.
    21. Yan, Wei-Mon & Wang, Xiao-Dong & Lee, Duu-Jong & Zhang, Xin-Xin & Guo, Yi-Fan & Su, Ay, 2011. "Experimental study of commercial size proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 392-396, January.
    22. Wang, Yun & Chen, Ken S. & Mishler, Jeffrey & Cho, Sung Chan & Adroher, Xavier Cordobes, 2011. "A review of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: Technology, applications, and needs on fundamental research," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(4), pages 981-1007, April.
    23. Sasmito, Agus P. & Kurnia, Jundika C. & Shamim, Tariq & Mujumdar, Arun S., 2017. "Optimization of an open-cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cells stack utilizing Taguchi method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1225-1232.
    24. Zhu, Wenhua H. & Zhu, Ying & Davis, Zenda & Tatarchuk, Bruce J., 2013. "Energy efficiency and capacity retention of Ni–MH batteries for storage applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 307-313.
    25. Tang, Yong & Yuan, Wei & Pan, Minqiang & Wan, Zhenping, 2011. "Experimental investigation on the dynamic performance of a hybrid PEM fuel cell/battery system for lightweight electric vehicle application," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 68-76, January.

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