Performance Comparison and Analysis of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells in Different Fluid Channels
Date Issued
2006
Date
2006
Author(s)
Chiu, Yung-Hao
DOI
zh-TW
Abstract
The study simulates the distribution of concentration, temperature, pressure and current density in a single proton exchange membrane fuel cell by commercial software CFD-RC. Here it also considers different operation conditions to discuss the influence on performance. Meanwhile, four completely different types of flow channels were used to analysis their polarization curves in order to improve the voltage loss caused by over-potential of concentration or others. With the above observations the advantages and disadvantages of each flow channels could be discussed and then the performance would be improved.
The Navier-Stokes equations with the energy, species equations and the relative electrochemical equations were solved in this study. The SIMPLEC algorithm with finite volume based scheme was used in this numerical analysis. The results indicated the concentration of oxygen in the cathode are significant effects for the cell performance, the concentration over-potential increased while the failure to transport sufficient oxygen to the catalyst, oppositely the cell performance increased as the inlet pressure or concentration of the reactant are increased. The results also shown that the Spiral-Interdigitated channel type has the best output performance and the serpentine channel type has the greatest pressure drop.
Subjects
質子交換膜燃料電池蜿蜒指叉性能
PEM
Fuel Cell
Serpentine
Interdigitated
Performance
Type
thesis