Effects of gas diffusion layer characteristic on the water-protect performance of low-humidity PEMFC

The gas diffusion layer (GDL) of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) plays a prominent effect on the water balance inside the fuel cell. A two-dimensional, steady-state, two-phase model for a PEMFC is developed to investigate the effects of GDL characteristics on the water-protect performance of the fuel cell. Analysis of the water-protect performance of low humidity PEMFC indicates that in the condition of saturated anode inlet humidification and 25% of the cathode inlet humidification, the smaller the porosity, the better the water-protect performance of the fuel cell. The thicker the GDL, the better the water protect capability. The fuel cell with smaller mean aperture has higher water content in the membrane. The stronger hydrophilicity in the GDL plays a certain role of holding the water.