Enhancing Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel-Cell Heat Transfer Performance with Embedded Cooling Channel Design: A Systematic Numerical Study
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper aims to improve the internal heat distribution and effective thermal management of a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) while reducing its volume. A novel embedded liquid cooling channel was designed to achieve this, and a three-dimensional, multiphase numerical model of the PEMFC was established. Compared with the conventional straight-through channel, which features straight channels for both the anode and cooling runners, the embedded cooling channel demonstrates a lower temperature difference and pressure drop, reducing both by 17.5% and 71.9%, respectively. The embedded channel structure was studied based on indicators such as the index of uniform temperature distribution (IUT), average cooling channel walls heat flux, mole fraction distribution, flow channel pressure drop, and net power. The results show that increasing the contact length () between the anode plate and the anode diffusion layer is beneficial for the diffusion of anode gas, controlling fuel-cell temperature, and improving net power. Furthermore, it is recommended that the angle of the embedded channel be greater than 60°, and should be greater than of the PEMFC width. This study provides a new solution to the problem of PEMFC thermal management and valuable references for PEMFC engineering design.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.
Author contributions: All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and manuscript writing were all completed by Yaochen Wang. Data analysis and final review of the manuscript were completed by Hongjuan Ren and Cong Li. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 150 • Issue 1 • February 2024
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 25, 2023
Accepted: Aug 31, 2023
Published online: Oct 24, 2023
Published in print: Feb 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Mar 24, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Channels (waterway)
- Cooling (wastewater treatment)
- Design (by type)
- Energy engineering
- Energy sources (by type)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering mechanics
- Environmental engineering
- Fuels
- Heat transfer
- Hydraulic design
- Hydraulic engineering
- Hydraulic structures
- Measurement (by type)
- Membranes
- Non-renewable energy
- Structural engineering
- Structural members
- Structural systems
- Temperature effects
- Temperature measurement
- Thermal effects
- Thermodynamics
- Waste management
- Waste treatment
- Water and water resources
- Waterways
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