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Effect of Flow Channel Dimensions on the Performance of a PEM Fuel Cell Using 3D Modeling  Fulltext 

[ Rismanchi ] - Graduate student, Dept. of Mechanical Eng. Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
[ Akbari ] - Assistant professor, Dept. of Mechanical Eng. Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

خلاصه مقاله:

In this study a steady-state three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell is developed and presented for a single cell. A complete set of conservation equations of mass, momentum, species, energy transport, and charge is considered with proper account of electrochemical kinetics based on Butler- Vollmer equation. The effect of interfacial contact resistance is also considered in this model. The numerical solution is based on a finite-volume method. In this investigation a CFD code was used as the core
solver for the transport equations, while mathematical models for the main physical and electrochemical phenomena were devised into the solver using userdeveloped subroutines. The results of this model will allow detailed study of interdependencies between fluid dynamics, fluid flow, contact resistance, and electrochemical reactions. Polarization curves are obtained for different conditions. Simulation results show the effect of flow channel dimensions on the cell performance. An optimum shoulder size is predicted to exist for the cell's optimum performance. A comparison between the polarization curves obtained from the current study and the corresponding available experimental data is presented and a reasonable agreement is obtained. Such CFD model can be used as a tool in the development and optimization of PEM fuelcells.

PEM fuel cell, CFD modeling, flow channel dimensions, optimum performance