Simulation of Flow Velocity Distribution Control in Separator of a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell

Abstract

A number of researches on a small fuel cell have been studied to use as a power supply for portable information and communication equipment like laptop computer, cellular phone etc because fuel cell can use for long time compared with conventional batteries. In order to make small fuel cell, it is useful to improve the efficiency of electric-chemical reaction in separator of a fuel cell. Flow velocity distribution of gas like oxygen and hydrogen has important role for increasing efficiency of fuel cell. It is necessary to clarify the flow in separator. In this study, first validity of numerical analysis result is confirmed compared with experimental result. Flow velocity and pressure distributions for different shape of manifold are examined in detail by numerical analysis by using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) code. Effect of Reynolds number on flow velocity distribution is also made clear.