The effect of channel-to-channel gas crossover on the pressure and temperature distribution in PEM fuel cell flow plates

In-situ measurements of GDL effective permeability and under-land cross-flow in a PEM fuel cell

“…Isotropic and orthotropic permeability were compared and it was found that the in-plane permeability was the dominant parameter affecting the cross-flow in a serpentine flow field. Oosthuizen et al [4] studied the flow and temperature distributions in a serpentine flow field and found that the cross-flow reduced the pressure drop across the flow channel; however, it had a small influence on temperature gradients. Kanezaki et al [5] used a 2D model and concluded that considerable amount of the flow went through the GDL under the land due to the pressure difference between the adjacent channels.…”

Numerical studies on rib & channel dimension of flow-field on PEMFC performance

“…Fell et al [4] demonstrated that in PEMFCs with cyclic and symmetric flow-field geometries hydrogen and oxygen from fuel rich inlets diffused through the gas diffusion layer (GDL) to the fuel depleted outlet using a single-phase isothermal model of a fuel cell. Oosthuizen et al [5] investigated transport under the ribs inside a PEMFC using a single phase non-isothermal PEMFC model in the finite element code, FIDAP, to study channel to channel transport through the GDL for different GDL permeabilities. Yoon et al [6] experimental studied different rib widths on 80 cm 2 cell to understand the effect on performance with different operating conditions.…”

A numerical study of channel-to-channel flow cross-over through the gas diffusion layer in a PEM-fuel-cell flow system using a serpentine channel with a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape

“…The effect of channel geometry on the overall dimensionless pressure drop between the inlet and outlet, i.e., P = P inlet − P outlet (6) is further examined in Fig. 8.…”

“…The pressure differences across the flow plate can be influenced by flow cross-over through the GDL for different flow plate geometries and configurations. Oosthuizen et al [6] studied the pressure and temperature distribution in PEMFC flow plates with a single serpentine channel system having a square cross-section. They concluded that channel-tochannel flow cross-over through the GDL is only significant when the permeability exceeds approximately 1.0E-11 m 2 .…”