Volume 50

Numerical study on flow field structure of anion exchange membrane electrolysis cell based on heat transfer-mass transfer- electron conduction Yanjun Chen, Wenjia Li, Juan Song, Zongkang Wang, Zhenyu Tian

Abstract

Bipolar plates are integral to the functionality of anion exchange membrane electrolysis cells, with the flow field design being a critical determinant of heat and mass transfer, as well as electron conduction within the cell. This paper establishes a simulation model for anion exchange membrane electrolysis cells and analyzes the influence of the geometric structure of the serpentine flow field on the performance of the electrolysis cells based on the trade-off relationship between heat transfer, mass transfer, electron conduction. The results indicate that the dominant factors affecting current density when changing the channel width are electron potential and temperature. The smaller the channel width, the higher the electron potential and temperature, and the higher the current density. When the changing factor is the number of inlets in the flow field, the higher the liquid saturation, the higher the current density. Therefore, the current density is ranked as follows: 1-path serpentine flow field >3-path serpentine flow field >2-path serpentine flow field. Therefore, when the voltage is 2 V, the 1-path serpentine flow field with a channel width of 0.6 mm has the highest current density, which is 10.8% higher than the 2-path
serpentine flow field with the lowest current density.

Keywords anion exchange membrane electrolysis cell, simulation of multi-physical field coupling, serpentine flow field, electron conduction, heat and mass transfer