Analysis of Flow Direction Effects in a Single-Channel Serpentine Geometry for PEM Fuel Cells at the Cathode Side

Abstract

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells represent a promising clean energy technology that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity with water as the sole byproduct. This work presents a comprehensive analysis of the impact of flow direction, specifically parallel flow and counter-flow configurations, on the performance of a single-channel serpentine geometry. The serpentine flow field pattern is widely utilized for its advantages in enhancing mass transport and reducing pressure drop. This study integrates computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using an open-source toolbox based on C++ to investigate the influence of flow direction on the liquid water saturation distribution within the cell. The analysis of liquid water accumulation is essential, as it directly affects the overall performance and durability of the PEM fuel cell. Saturation contour maps are obtained at 0.52 V for each geometry. The results show that water saturation tends to accumulate at the edges of the electrode-membrane assembly, and the counter-parallel flow exhibits the major saturation distribution.