流道结构对质子交换膜燃料电池工作性能的影响

Effect of Channel Structures on PEM Fuel Cell Performance

质子交换膜燃料电池将氢气分解成氢离子和电子,通过外电路产生电流.流道结构将影响氢气和氧气在燃料电池内的流动状态和分布区域,并最终影响输出电流的大小.针对单流道、平行流道、单蛇形流道和复合蛇形流道的燃料电池进行了模拟计算,分析了气体在流道内的扩散过程和电池输出电压的变化情况,对比了不同流道中氢气、氧气和生成的水的分布情况,以及氢气和氧气的输入速率对输出电流密度和材料利用率的影响,获得了优化的流道结构和工作参数,提高了燃料电池的工作性能.

PEM fuel cells separate hydrogen into protons and electrons to generate electric power with electrons flowing through outer circuit. Channel structures affect flowing activities of hydrogen and oxygen and species distribution, and ultimately influence output current density. Fuel cells are simulated respectively with single straight channel, parallel channel, single serpentine channel and composite serpentine channel, and species diffusion process in channel and output voltage variation are analyzed. Simulation compares working area of hydrogen, oxygen and byproduct, water, and discovers input rates effect on current density and species consuming ratio. Finally, optimized chan- nel structure and operating parameters are obtained to improve fuel cell performance.