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Simulation of an innovative flow-field design based on a bio inspired pattern for PEM fuel cells

Roshandel, R ; Sharif University of Technology | 2012

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  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2011.10.008
  3. Publisher: 2012
  4. Abstract:
  5. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell performance is directly related to the bipolar plate design and their channels pattern. Power enhancements can be achieved by optimal design of the type, size, or patterns of the channels. It has been realized that the bipolar plate design has significant role on reactant transport as well as water management in a PEM Fuel cell. Present work concentrates on improvements in the fuel cell performance by optimization of flow-field design and channels configurations. A three-dimensional, multi-component numerical model of flow distribution based on Navier-Stokes equations using individual computer code is presented. The simulation results showed excellent agreement with the experimental data in the previous publications. In this paper, a new bipolar plate design inspired from the existed biological fluid flow patterns in the leaf is presented and analyzed. The main design criteria in this research are based on more uniform velocity distribution and more homogeneous molar spreading of species along the flow channels and also higher voltage and power density output in different current densities. By developing a numerical code it was found that the velocity and pressure profiles on catalyst surface are much more uniform, reactant concentration on catalyst surface is very more homogeneous and the power density is higher than parallel and serpentine flow channels up to 56% and 26% respectively
  6. Keywords:
  7. Bio inspired flow Channels ; CFD ; Flow channel design ; PEM fuel cell ; Bio-inspired ; Biological fluids ; Bipolar plates ; Catalyst surfaces ; Computer codes ; Design criterion ; Experimental data ; Flow channels ; Flow distribution ; Flow-field design ; Fuel cell performance ; Multicomponents ; Numerical code ; Numerical models ; Optimal design ; Power densities ; Power enhancement ; Pressure profiles ; Reactant concentrations ; Reactant transport ; Serpentine flow ; Catalysts ; Channel flow ; Codes (symbols) ; Computational fluid dynamics ; Design ; Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) ; Three dimensional ; Flow of fluids ; Catalyst ; Fuel cell ; Innovation ; Ion exchange ; Membrane ; Navier-Stokes equations ; Optimization ; Performance assessment ; Three-dimensional flow
  8. Source: Renewable Energy ; Volume 41 , 2012 , Pages 86-95 ; 09601481 (ISSN)
  9. URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148111005738