Title of article :
Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Gas Diffusion Layer with Semicircular prominences on Polymer Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance and Species Distribution
Author/Authors :
Ahmadi, N Department of Mechanical Engineering - Urmia University of Technology, Urmia , Rezazadeh, S Department of Mechanical Engineering - Urmia University of Technology, Urmia , Dadvand, A Department of Mechanical Engineering - Urmia University of Technology, Urmia , Mirzaee, I Department of Mechanical Engineering - Urmia University of Technology, Urmia
Abstract :
A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell
(PEMFC) with both gas distribution flow channels and Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) is
developed. A set of conservation equation is numerically solved by developing a CFD code based on
the finite volume technique and SIMPLE algorithm. In this research, some parameters like oxygen
consumption, water production, velocity distribution, liquid water activity and the fuel cell
performance for conventional cases (base Cases) are presented and compared to those in cases with
semicircular prominences. The numerical simulations indicated that prominent gas diffusion layer
(GDL) could improve the transport of the species through the porous layers and this leads to increment
in fuel cell performance. Hence, prominent gas diffusion layers would result in higher current density.
Finally the numerical results for the base Cases were compared with the experimental data, which
represented reasonable agreement.
Keywords :
Polymer Exchange Membrane , Gas Diffusion Layer , current density , prominence , Finite volume
Journal title :
Astroparticle Physics
