Effects of Gas Flow Field with Wave-like Form Obstacles on PEM Fuel Cell Performance
Safiye Nur Özdemir1*, İmdat Taymaz2
1Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
2Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
* Corresponding author: safiyeozdemir@sakarya.edu.tr
Presented at the 2nd International Symposium on Innovative Approaches in Scientific Studies (ISAS2018-Winter), Samsun, Turkey, Nov 30, 2018
SETSCI Conference Proceedings, 2018, 3, Page (s): 1231-1235 , https://doi.org/
Published Date: 31 December 2018 | 1270 9
Abstract
Fuel cells can be considered as clean, efficient and economic devices for the next power generation. Flow
configuration and operating conditions such as temperature, relative humidity and stoichiometric number are key factors for
improving cell performance. The objective of this study is to analyze the effects of the wave-like form obstacles located in the
anode gas flow channel on the cell performance. To investigate the performance characteristics of proton exchange membrane
fuel cells(PEMFCs), numerical simulations are performed at different operating conditions by using a three dimensional PEM
fuel cell with wave-like form obstacles based on FLUENT model. Our simulations indicate that higher current densities can be
obtained for gas flow channels with wave-like form obstacles compared to the conventional straight flow channel in proton
exchange membrane fuel cell in certain cell voltages. It was recorded that the wave-like form obstacles have a positive effect on
the convective heat transfer performance
Keywords - Computational Fluid Dynamics, PEM Fuel Cell, Wave-like Form Obstacles, Cell Performance
References
[1] Carrette, L., Friedrich, K. A., & Stimming, U. (2001). Fuel Cells -Fundamentals and Applications. Fuel Cells, 1(1), 5–39.
[2] Chang, Y., Qin, Y., Yin, Y., Zhang, J., & Li, X. (2018). Humidificationstrategy for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells – A review.
Applied Energy, 230(August), 643–662.
[3] J. W. (2007). Applications of proton exchange membrane fuel cellsystems, 11, 1720–1738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2006.01.005
[4] Bilgili, M., Bosomoiu, M., & Tsotridis, G. (2015). Gas flow field withobstacles for PEM fuel cells at different operating conditions.
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 40(5), 2303–2311.
[5] Shen, J., Zeng, L., Liu, Z., & Liu, W. (2018). Performance investigationof PEMFC with rectangle blockages in Gas Channel based on field
synergy principle. Heat and Mass Transfer/Waerme- UndStoffuebertragung.
[6] Heidary, H., Kermani, M. J., & Dabir, B. (2016). Influences of bipolarplate channel blockages on PEM fuel cell performances. Energy
Conversion and Management, 124, 51–60.
[7] Kuo, J. K., Yen, T. S., & Chen, C. K. (2008). Improvement ofperformance of gas flow channel in PEM fuel cells. Energy Conversion
and Management, 49(10), 2776-2787.
[8] Biyikoglu, A., & Oztoprak, H. (2012). Enhancement of cellcharacteristics via baffle blocks in a proton exchange membrane fuel
cell. Sadhana - Academy Proceedings in Engineering Sciences, 37(2),207–222.
[9] Wang, L., Husar, A., Zhou, T., & Liu, H. (2003). A parametric study ofPEM fuel cell performances. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy,28(11), 1263–1272.