Volume 55

Effect of Novel Ribs in Parallel Channel Low Temperature PEMFC Performance Alisha Daimari, Atul Sharma, Shyamprasad Karagadde, Shyamkumar P I

Abstract

Flow channel or flow field designs have a significant impact on the performance of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC). These channels are essential for distributing reactant gases, eliminating byproducts like water, and managing heat within the cell. Enhancing the flow field design can improve the efficiency, power output, and overall lifespan of PEMFCs. A three-dimensional multiphysics, two-phase PEMFC model with novel ribs in the form of asymmetrical airfoil in a parallel flow channel has been investigated in the present study. The ribs are placed along the length of the channel equidistantly. With the operating parameters kept constant, effect of different types of ribs on the overall performance of the fuel cell is reported and compared with the Baseline case where no ribs are present. The present model comprises of a single unit PEMFC modelled in the commercial software package ANSYS Fluent version 2023R2. A comparative study on the effects of different ribs shapes like rectangular, circular and asymmetrical airfoil on the overall PEMFC performance is presented. The obstruction in the flow channel is observed to improve the polarization curve, i.e., current vs. voltage (I-V) curve as well as current vs. power (I–P) curve, in other words, the fuel cell performance. Pressure drop is found higher for parallel flow channel with rectangular ribs than baseline without ribs. Thus, this study examines how a different flow channel design with ribs affects PEMFC performance metrics, offering insights into how changes in flow field configuration can propel advancements in fuel cell technology.

Keywords PEM Fuel Cell, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Performance, Airfoil, Operating parameter