质子交换膜燃料电池三种流场结构的性能研究

Performance study of PEMFC with three different flow fields

平行、交指和蛇形是质子交换膜燃料电池最常用的三种流场结构,为研究三者性能差异,利用CFD技术建模进行仿真分析,在反应气体均充足的条件下,对比三种流场燃料电池的氢气摩尔浓度、流道压降、催化层温度、水摩尔浓度的分布和极化曲线。结果表明,蛇形流场性能最优,交指流场其次,平行流场最差。尽管蛇形流场压降最大,但其催化层中温度最高,阳极氢气分布和阴极水浓度分布也最均匀,且其性能优势在高电流密度下更为突出。

Parallel,interdigital and serpentine flow fields are the most commonly used structures in proton exchange membrane fuel cells.The performance of fuel cells with different flow fields was simulated and analyzed by CFD technology.With sufficient reaction gas supplied at every potential,their velocity distribution of hydrogen concentration,pressure drop in channels,temperature and water concentration in cathodic catalyst layer,and polarization curves were compared.The results show that the cell performance of serpentine flow field is the best,following with interdigital parallel flow field.Although the largest pressure drop is shown in serpentine flow field,the highest temperature in catalyst layer and the most uniform hydrogen and water distribution were observed.The advantage of serpentine flow field is more significant at high current density.