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A computational study of a three-dimensional proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with conventional and deflected membrane electrode assembly

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Abstract

This article presents the results of a numerical investigation, using a comprehensive three-dimensional, single phase, non-isothermal and parallel flow model of a PEM fuel cell with deflected membrane electrode assembly (MEA). This numerical research has concentrated on the deflection parameter (δ) that affects this type of fuel cell performance. The model accounts simultaneously for electrochemical kinetics, current distribution, hydrodynamics, and multicomponent transport. A set of conservation equations valid for flow channels, gas-diffusion electrodes, catalyst layers, and the membrane region are developed and numerically solved using a finite-volumebased computational fluid dynamics technique. Because of importance of base model fuel cell (δ = 0), initially the CFD result of polarization curve has been validated with the available experimental data which shown good agreement. Introducing of deflection parameter as a criterion for creating of a new geometry, shown that fuel cell performance increases rather than base model, since the face width increases and more reactants diffuse through the gas diffusion layer (GDL) to the reacting area. Also, when this parameter reaches to its maximum value equal to channel height, the fuel cell performance has been maximized in high current densities region. The further numerical results including of temperature distribution, oxygen, and water mass fraction in deflected membrane full cell are derived and discussed in the more details with respect to various values of deflection parameter. Finally, the obtained numerical results shown reasonable features in describing of deflected fuel cell behavior.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, Urmia University of Technology, Urmia, Iran

    Nader Pourmahmoud, Iraj Mirzaee & Sonita Motaleb Faed

  2. CFD Research Center, Mechanical Engineering Department, Urmia University of Technology, Urmia, Iran

    Sajad Rezazadeh

Authors
  1. Nader Pourmahmoud
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  2. Sajad Rezazadeh
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  3. Iraj Mirzaee
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  4. Sonita Motaleb Faed
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Correspondence to Sajad Rezazadeh.

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Recommended by Associate Editor Yong-Tae Kim

Nader Pourmahmoud was born in 1969 in Oshnavieh city in Iran. He received BS degree in Mechanical Engineering in Shiraz University in 1992. After achieving some of practical engineering projects till 1997 he started Msc. degree in mechanical engineering (energy conversion field) in Tarbiat Modarres University in Tehran and finally he received his Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering (energy conversion field) in 2003 at the same university in Iran. He is an assistance professor in the mechanical engineering department at faculty of engineering of Urmia University. His professional interests are in the field of CFD of Turbulent fluid flow, energy conversion problems and especially in fabricating of specific Vortex Tube.

Sajad Rezazadeh was born in Urmia in 1984. He passed entrance exam of technical university of Urmia in mechanical course in 2002. Immediately after finishing B.S, He accepted in Master Degree of the same course (Energy conversion field). He finished his Msc degree with his thesis about computational fluid dynamics modeling of proton exchange membrane Fuel cell. He accepted in PhD and now he is studying in second year. During this nearly 8 years, he has presented several articles in internal and international seminars about main mechanical topics such as fuel cells and heat exchangers.

Iraj Mirzaee was born in 1960 in Ahar city in Iran. He received BS degree in Mechanical Engineering in Mashhad University in 1986. He started Msc. degree in mechanical engineering (energy conversion field) in Esfehan University in Iran and finally he received his Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering (energy conversion field) in 1997 at the Bath University in England. He is an associated professor in the mechanical engineering department at faculty of engineering of Urmia University. His professional interests are in the field of CFD, turbulent, fluid flow, energy conversion problems and turbine gas.

Sonita Motaleb Faed was born in Urmia in 1984. She passed entrance exam of Technical University of Urmia in mechanical course in 2002. She accepted in Master Degree of the same course (Energy conversion tendency) in 2008. She finished her M.S with her thesis about Simulation of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. During these years, she has presented 5 articles in internal and international seminars about fuel cells.

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Pourmahmoud, N., Rezazadeh, S., Mirzaee, I. et al. A computational study of a three-dimensional proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with conventional and deflected membrane electrode assembly. J Mech Sci Technol 26, 2959–2968 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-012-0708-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-012-0708-9

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