Progress of Cryogenics and Isotopes Separation , ISSN: 1582-2575
2007, Volume 10, Issue 19+20

Investigation of Transport Phenomena in a 7-Serpentine Channel PEM Fuel Cell

Elena Carcadea 1* , Horia Ene 2 , D. B. Ingham 3 , Roxana Elena Ionete 1 , Ioan Stefanescu 1 , Vasile Stanciu 1 , L. Patularu 1

1 National R&D Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies, Ramnicu Valcea
2 Romanian Academy of Sciences, Mathematical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
3 Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

*Corresponding author: Elena Carcadea, e-mail: lili@icsi.ro

Published: October 2007


Abstract

Channel geometry (path length, dimension, shape) has a tremendous impact on PEMFC performance. Distributions of the reactant species concentration in a PEM fuel cell due to fuel consumption and local transport of water through the membrane can cause changes in current density, temperature and water concentration. Water distribution can lead to flooding or drying of the membrane that may shorten the PEMFC componets life. Finding a flow field pattern that distribute the gas more evenly is one method in minimizing these problems and optimising the PEM fuel cell performance. The paper presents the results obtained for a 100cm2 serpentine flow-field PEM fuel cell using Fluent software and Fuel Cell Module.


Keywords

PEM fuel cell modeling, serpentine flow channel.


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