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Influence of operation parameters on performance of variable section stepped flow channel fuel cell

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Abstract

In order to reveal the influence of operating parameters on the performance of variable cross-section channel fuel cell, a variable cross-section stepped channel was studied by using multiphysical field coupling software COMSOL. Firstly, the performance changes of the fuel cell under different step heights and lengths were explored. Secondly, according to the selected step configuration, the effects of operating temperature, operating pressure, and cathode relative humidity (RH) on reaction gas flow velocity, fuel cell heat production, and output performance were studied. The numerical models of three operating parameters and the peak power density were obtained by the least square method, and the reliability of the numerical models was verified by experiments. The results show that the optimal step height and length are 0.2 mm and 9 mm, respectively. The operating temperature and cathode RH are positively correlated with the flow velocity of reaction gas, while the operating pressure is negatively correlated with the flow velocity of reaction gas. The three operating parameters studied are positively correlated with the heat production and output performance of the fuel cell. For the stepped channel, the weights of operating temperature rise of 1°, operating pressure rise of 0.1 atm, and cathode RH rise of 1% are 1%, 26%, and 73%, respectively.

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Funding

This work was supported by Bidding Project of Shanxi Science and Technology Plan (20201101020).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Heavy Machinery Engineering Research Center of the Ministry of Education, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, Shanxi, China

    Fuqiang Zhao, Hongquan Dong & Hugang Tian

  2. Weichai Power Co, Ltd, Weifang, 261000, Shandong, China

    Xiaojun Zhao

  3. Office of Academic Research, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, Shanxi, China

    Hongwei Wang

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  1. Fuqiang Zhao
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Correspondence to Hongquan Dong.

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Zhao, F., Dong, H., Tian, H. et al. Influence of operation parameters on performance of variable section stepped flow channel fuel cell. Ionics 28, 1887–1901 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-021-04417-y

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