Quantum mechanics

Engineering

Fluent

Pure mathematics

Materials science

Petroleum engineering

Field (mathematics)

Fuel cells

Chemical engineering

Geology

Current (fluid)

Fluid dynamics

Physics

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Mathematics

Flow (mathematics)

Environmental science

Computational fluid dynamics

Current density

Mechanics

Electrical engineering

Energy Reports

In order to solve the problems of non-uniform gas concentration distribution and serious flooding in the parallel flow field of traditional PEMFC, a stepped flow field of PEMFC bipolar plate is proposed in this paper. The gas concentration distribution, velocity distribution, liquid water distribution and current density distribution of traditional parallel flow field and stepped flow fields are studied by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The results suggest that the fuel cells with stepped flow field are superior than the traditional fuel cell with parallel flow field. Compared with fuel cell with parallel flow field, the net power of fuel cell with stepped flow field is increased by 21.5%. Moreover, the stepped flow fields can improve the uniformity of gas concentration and current density distribution, accelerate the discharge of liquid water, alleviate water flooding phenomenon.

Performance study on a stepped flow field design for bipolar plate in PEMFC