Effect of clamping pressure on liquid-cooled PEMFC stack performance considering inhomogeneous gas diffusion layer compression

One of the marketing challenges of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for various applications is enhancing flight durability. Due to the superior characteristics of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), they have the potential to reach a longer flight time and higher payload. In this regard, a numerical assessment of a UAV air-cooled PEMFC is carried out using a three-dimensional (3-D), multiphase, and non-isothermal model on three flow fields, i.e., unblocked bean-shaped, blocked bean-shaped, and parallel. Then, the results of single-cell modeling are generalized to the PEMFC stack to provide the power of 2.5 kW for a UAV. The obtained results indicate that the strategy of rising air stoichiometry for cooling performs well in the unblocked bean-shaped design, and the maximum temperature along the channel length reaches 331.5 K at the air stoichiometric of 30. Further, it is found that the best performance of a 2.5 kW PEMFC stack is attained by the bean-shaped design without blockage, of which its volume and mass power density are 1.1 kW L−1 and 0.2 kW kg−1, respectively. It is 9.4% lighter and 6.9% more compact than the parallel flow field. Therefore, the unblocked bean-shaped design can be a good option for aerial applications.

show abstract

“…where C k is species concentration and D e f f k is an effective diffusion coefficient, which can be obtained by Equation (5) [25]…”

Section: ∇• ρεmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing the Specific Power of a PEM Fuel Cell Powered UAV with a Novel Bean-Shaped Flow Field

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The end plates are one of the main components located opposite of the fuel cell stack as shown in Figure 1, which can fasten the BPPs, MEAs, sealants and current collection plates together with enough clamping force in order to evite •3• the leakage of the hydrogen, and meanwhile provide a uniform contact pressure between components of the fuel cell stack. The contact pressure on the multiple contact interfaces plays a key role to affect the mechanical strength of MEA and also the contact behavior between BPP and MEA, consequently the failure or critical damage of MEA [7][8][9], gas transportation [10][11][12] and the electric resistance [13][14][15], eventually the performance and durability of the fuel cell stack.…”

Section: Figure 1 Schematic Of Components Of the Fuel Cell Stackmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Equivalent Mechanical Model Investigating Endplates Deflection For a Large PEM Fuel Cell Stack

Zhang

Shang

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The endplates are essential to assembly a large proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack, whose deflection is negative to its uniform contact pressure distribution and large electrical contact resistance. The endplates with assembly clamping belts are proposed as an equivalent mechanical beam model consisting of elastic beam element with clamping forces. The deflection curve equations of endplates with 1 to 5 clamping belts are studied which allows investigating endplates deflection for uniform contact pressure distribution. Based on this equivalent mechanical model for fuel cell stack, the effects of the thicknesses of endplates, numbers and positions of clamping belts are discussed, and show the optimal thickness of endplate with different clamping belts, and moreover the optimal position of intermediate and outer clamping belts on the endplates. Finally, a three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) of a fuel cell stack clamping with steel belts and nonlinear contact elements is compared to what the equivalent mechanical beam model predicts. It is found that the presented model gives good prediction accuracy for the deflection behavior of endplates and the clamping force. Results showed that the equivalent mechanical modeling is effective and helpful for the design of a large fuel cell stack assembly.

show abstract

“…If the water in cathode CL cannot be discharged, the catalytic effect of Pt will be affected and the fuel cannot reach cathode CL to participate in the reaction, which will eventually increase the mass transfer resistance and even cause the fuel cell to stop working. 7 By designing GDL with a reasonable structure, the water management capabilities can be enhanced, and the voltage loss can be reduced. [8][9][10] The GDL is a key component of water and gas management in PEMFC, and has been extensively studied and explored.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimizing the hydrophobicity of GDL to improve the fuel cell performance

Zhou

Han

et al. 2021

RSC Adv.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Effect of clamping pressure on liquid-cooled PEMFC stack performance considering inhomogeneous gas diffusion layer compression

Cited by 101 publications

References 52 publications

Enhancing the Specific Power of a PEM Fuel Cell Powered UAV with a Novel Bean-Shaped Flow Field

Enhancing the Specific Power of a PEM Fuel Cell Powered UAV with a Novel Bean-Shaped Flow Field

An Equivalent Mechanical Model Investigating Endplates Deflection For a Large PEM Fuel Cell Stack

Optimizing the hydrophobicity of GDL to improve the fuel cell performance

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About