Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study on the Effect of Anode Pressure on the Performance of the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell with Dead-Ended Anode

The anode pressure (P_a) has a crucial impact on the performance of proton-exchange membrane fuel cell with dead-ended anode (DEA-PEMFC). In order to study the influence mechanism of P_a on the performance of DEA-PEMFC, numerical simulation and in-situ measurement experiments are conducted in this article. The research results indicate that higher P_a increases the partial pressure of water vapor and nitrogen on the anode side, thereby inhibiting the permeation process of water and nitrogen from the cathode side to the anode. This effectively alleviates the accumulation of water and nitrogen at the end of the anode flow channel. Simultaneously, this also raises H₂ concentration on anode side and promotes the electrochemical reactions progress. Therefore, the higher P_a, the longer stabilization time and better the performance of DEA-PEMFC. The results of this article provide guidance for optimizing the work scheme of DEA-PEMFC.