Background
Type:

Configuration of proton exchange membrane fuel cell gas and cooling flow fields

Journal: ()Year: Volume: Issue:
Afshari E.a Jahantigh N. Atyabi S.A.
Language:

Abstract

Most of the weight of the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack is in the bipolar plates. The main function of bipolar plates is uniform distribution of gas reactants as well as distribution of cooling fluid (water or air) inside the fuel cell. Therefore, the plate design and the characteristics of the gas and cooling channels inside them are essential to the operation of the PEM. Although reactive gas channels and cooling channels perform separately, there are many similarities between them. For example, gas channels should be designed so that distribution of reactive gases on the electrode surfaces is uniform. Also, cooling channels should be designed so that temperature distribution inside the fuel cell is uniform. Further, pressure drop of reactive gases inside the gas channels and the fluid inside the cooling channels must be minimal. In this chapter, initially the characteristics, functions and making materials of bipolar plates along with the to make channels inside of them are investigated. Afterwards, gas channels, cooling channels and effects of the shape and size of channels on the PEM fuel cell performance are studied. Finally, different configurations of gas and cooling channel with emphasizing on the new configurations of these channel are researched simultaneously. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Author Keywords

Bipolar plateCooling channelFlow channel configurationGas channelPEM fuel cell