Performance analysis of proton exchange membrane fuel cells with various serpentine flow channel designs

Abstract

In a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), flow field plates are essential for distributing reactants across the catalyst surface, managing water, and minimizing pressure drop. This study explored various flow channel designs, including Wider Serpentine Flow Field (WSFF), Single Serpentine Flow Field (SFF), Wavy Serpentine Flow Field (WASFF), and Split Serpentine Flow Field (SPSFF). For each flow field design, the fuel cell was tested under variable operating conditions, such as Cell Operating Temperature (COT), Anode Humidification Temperature (AHT), Cathode Humidification Temperature (CHT), Anode Flow Rate (AFR), Cathode Flow Rate (CFR), and Operating Pressure (OP). The optimal conditions were determined to be a COT of 60°C, AHT of 70°C, CHT of 60°C, AFR of 300 sccm, CFR of 350 sccm, and OP of 3 bar. A comparative analysis of the four flow fields at these optimal conditions revealed that the SPSFF design achieved the highest cell performance, while the WSFF design resulted in the lowest. Additionally, the effect of clamping torque on the optimized SPSFF was analyzed, with a torque range of 4–8 N-m. It was found that a clamping torque of 7 N-m produced the maximum power density (MPD).