IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v251y2025ics0960148125011218.html

Optimization of porous transport layer for overall performance improvement in unitized regenerative fuel cell under clamping pressures

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Ke
  • Xiong, Zhongzhuang
  • He, Dandi
  • Luo, Zongkai
  • Zou, Guofu
  • Chen, Wenshang
  • Chen, Ben

Abstract

The porous transport layer (PTL) in a Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell (URFC) is essential for achieving high electrochemical performance and operational stability. It facilitates gas diffusion, regulates water-gas transport, and supports electrochemical reactions. Clamping pressure profoundly influences URFC performance by altering key properties such as porosity, permeability, electrical conductivity, and the contact resistance between the PTL and bipolar plate. Thus, the interplay between clamping pressure and the PTL is critical for optimizing URFC performance. This study focuses on investigating the effects of clamping pressure on URFC performance, uncovering key principles for optimizing PTL structural properties to enhance the overall performance of the URFC. Simulation results based on a two-dimensional finite element model and a three-dimensional two-phase electrochemical model reveal that clamping pressure induces asymmetric mechanical behavior in the PTL on either side of the URFC. As clamping pressure increases, significant changes occur in transport properties, which strongly affect mass transfer processes in the URFC. Furthermore, the study integrates Box-Behnken design, artificial neural networks, and the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II method to develop a precise regression model for identifying optimal design solutions. Under the optimized configuration, the URFC's input power density and output power density increased by 4.08 % and 9.47 %, respectively, while the round-trip efficiency improved by 14.13 % compared to conventional configurations.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Ke & Xiong, Zhongzhuang & He, Dandi & Luo, Zongkai & Zou, Guofu & Chen, Wenshang & Chen, Ben, 2025. "Optimization of porous transport layer for overall performance improvement in unitized regenerative fuel cell under clamping pressures," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:251:y:2025:i:c:s0960148125011218
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.123459
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148125011218
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2025.123459?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Olatunji, Kehinde O. & Ahmed, Noor A. & Madyira, Daniel M. & Adebayo, Ademola O. & Ogunkunle, Oyetola & Adeleke, Oluwatobi, 2022. "Performance evaluation of ANFIS and RSM modeling in predicting biogas and methane yields from Arachis hypogea shells pretreated with size reduction," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 288-303.
    2. Chen, Ke & Chen, Wenshang & Zou, Guofu & Chen, Ben, 2024. "Intelligent optimization: Novel application of PCC, MCDM, and ANN + NSGA-III in integrated optimization of the flow field and porous layer structures for unitized regenerative fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 374(C).
    3. Fu, J.L. & Qu, Z.G. & Zhang, J.F. & Zhang, G.B., 2023. "Performance analysis of PEMEC with non-uniform deformation based on a comprehensive numerical framework coupling image recognition and CFD," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 350(C).
    4. Liu, Jiaran & Tan, Jinzhu & Yang, Weizhan & Li, Yang & Wang, Chao, 2021. "Better electrochemical performance of PEMFC under a novel pneumatic clamping mechanism," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    5. Alizadeh, E. & Ghadimi, M. & Barzegari, M.M. & Momenifar, M. & Saadat, S.H.M., 2017. "Development of contact pressure distribution of PEM fuel cell's MEA using novel clamping mechanism," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 92-97.
    6. Zamel, Nada & Li, Xianguo & Shen, Jun, 2012. "Numerical estimation of the effective electrical conductivity in carbon paper diffusion media," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 39-44.
    7. Chen, Chen-Yu & Su, Sheng-Chun, 2018. "Effects of assembly torque on a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with stamped metallic bipolar plates," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 440-447.
    8. Wang, Yifei & Leung, Dennis Y.C. & Xuan, Jin & Wang, Huizhi, 2016. "A review on unitized regenerative fuel cell technologies, part-A: Unitized regenerative proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 961-977.
    9. Cabello González, G.M. & Toharias, Baltasar & Iranzo, Alfredo & Suárez, Christian & Rosa, Felipe, 2023. "Voltage distribution analysis and non-uniformity assessment in a 100 cm2 PEM fuel cell stack," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    10. 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.
    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. 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).
    2. Zhiming Zhang & Jun Zhang & Tong Zhang, 2022. "Endplate Design and Topology Optimization of Fuel Cell Stack Clamped with Bolts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Zhiming Zhang & Jun Zhang & Yapeng Shang & Tong Zhang, 2022. "Study on the Optimal Cross-Sectional Shapes of the PEMFC Endplates by Using a Moment of Inertia and 3D FEM Models," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-15, October.
    4. Zhang, Zhonghao & Guo, Mengdi & Yu, Zhonghao & Yao, Siyue & Wang, Jin & Qiu, Diankai & Peng, Linfa, 2022. "A novel cooperative design with optimized flow field on bipolar plates and hybrid wettability gas diffusion layer for proton exchange membrane unitized regenerative fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PD).
    5. Guan, Dong & Pan, Biyu & Chen, Zhen & Li, Jing & Shen, Hui & Pang, Huan, 2023. "Quantitative modeling and bio-inspired optimization the clamping load on the bipolar plate in PEMFC," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PD).
    6. Yan, Xiaohui & Lin, Chen & Zheng, Zhifeng & Chen, Junren & Wei, Guanghua & Zhang, Junliang, 2020. "Effect of clamping pressure on liquid-cooled PEMFC stack performance considering inhomogeneous gas diffusion layer compression," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    7. Zhiming Zhang & Jun Zhang & Liang Shi & Tong Zhang, 2022. "A Study of Contact Pressure with Thermo-Mechanical Coupled Action for a Full-Dimensional PEMFC Stack," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-16, July.
    8. Liu, Jiaran & Tan, Jinzhu & Yang, Weizhan & Li, Yang & Wang, Chao, 2021. "Better electrochemical performance of PEMFC under a novel pneumatic clamping mechanism," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    9. Zhou, Yu & Wu, Mingyang & Meng, Kai & Liu, Yurong & Rao, Peng & Wu, Xiao & Huang, Shuyi & Li, Ke & Zheng, Chongwei & Wu, Daoxiong & Deng, Peilin & Li, Jing & Tian, Xinlong & Kang, Zhenye, 2024. "Microscale structure optimization of catalyst layer for comprehensive performance enhancement in proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    10. Cai, Weiqiang & Zhou, Ruidong & Wang, Chenxia & Xie, Chao & Xiao, Liusheng & Zhang, Zhonggang & Yang, Chao & Yuan, Jinliang, 2025. "On characteristics and research development of coupled fuel cell stack performance and stress," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 388(C).
    11. Tan, Xinyang & Sun, Ao & Su, Tongze, 2025. "Enhanced electrochemical performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell through optimal bolt configuration design," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 378(PA).
    12. Bouziane, Khadidja & Khetabi, El Mahdi & Lachat, Rémy & Zamel, Nada & Meyer, Yann & Candusso, Denis, 2020. "Impact of cyclic mechanical compression on the electrical contact resistance between the gas diffusion layer and the bipolar plate of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 349-361.
    13. Song, Ke & Wang, Yimin & Ding, Yuhang & Xu, Hongjie & Mueller-Welt, Philip & Stuermlinger, Tobias & Bause, Katharina & Ehrmann, Christopher & Weinmann, Hannes W. & Schaefer, Jens & Fleischer, Juergen , 2022. "Assembly techniques for proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack: A literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    14. Rocha, A. & Ferreira, R.B. & Falcão, D.S. & Pinto, A.M.F.R., 2023. "Experimental study on a unitized regenerative fuel cell operated in constant electrode mode: Effect of cell design and operating conditions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    15. Cha, Dowon & Yang, Wonseok & Kim, Yongchan, 2019. "Performance improvement of self-humidifying PEM fuel cells using water injection at various start-up conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 514-524.
    16. Binhweel, Fozy & Pyar, Hassan & Senusi, Wardah & Shaah, Marwan Abdulhakim & Hossain, Md Sohrab & Ahmad, Mardiana Idayu, 2023. "Utilization of marine ulva lactuca seaweed and freshwater azolla filiculoides macroalgae feedstocks toward biodiesel production: Kinetics, thermodynamics, and optimization studies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 717-730.
    17. 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).
    18. Zhou, Jianhao & Liu, Jun & Xue, Yuan & Liao, Yuhui, 2022. "Total travel costs minimization strategy of a dual-stack fuel cell logistics truck enhanced with artificial potential field and deep reinforcement learning," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PA).
    19. Bao, Zhiming & Niu, Zhiqiang & Jiao, Kui, 2020. "Gas distribution and droplet removal of metal foam flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    20. Oh, Hwanyeong & Lee, Won-Yong & Won, Jinyeon & Kim, Minjin & Choi, Yoon-Young & Han, Soo-Bin, 2020. "Residual-based fault diagnosis for thermal management systems of proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:eee:renene:v:251:y:2025:i:c:s0960148125011218. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    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.