Comprehensive analysis of half-wave continuous cooling channels in performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Abstract

Efficient thermal management is essential to address the problem of heat buildup and uneven temperature distribution in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs), Optimizing cooling channel design is key to achieving this. This study introduces a novel half-wave continuous cooling channel structure, comparing the thermal and performance characteristics of PEMFCs with both half-wave continuous and traditional cooling channels key performance metrics, including the heat transfer Performance Evaluation Criterion (PEC), the Index of Uniform Temperature on the membrane (IUT), and the Nusselt number (Nu), were used to assess heat transfer effectiveness. Compared to traditional single-channel designs, the half-wave continuous single channel achieved a 0.21 K reduction in maximum membrane temperature, a 0.18 K decrease, in temperature variation, and a 25.7 % reduction in pressure loss. Further analysis of half-wave structural parameters revealed optimal performance at a waveform of 0.15sin(0.7πx), enhancing heat transfer efficiency by 21 % relative to traditional channels. When implemented in a single cell, the half-wave continuous structure design improved power output by 1.6 % compared to conventional single cell. The cooling channel effectively minimized localized high temperatures on the membrane, promoting a more uniform temperature distribution and improving membrane water distribution, enhancing both water and thermal management within the fuel cell.