THREE-DIMENSIONAL COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS MODELLING OF A PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELL WITH A SERPENTINE MICRO-CHANNEL DESIGN

The aim of this paper was to demonstrate the feasibility of using a Computational Fluid Dynamics tool for the design of a novel Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell and to investigate the performance of serpentine micro-channel flow fields. A three-dimensional steady state model consisting of momentum, heat, species and charge conservation equations in combination with electrochemical equations has been developed. The design of the PEMFC involved electrolyte membrane, anode and cathode catalyst layers, anode and cathode gas diffusion layers, two collectors and serpentine micro-channels of air and fuel. The distributions of mass fraction, temperature, pressure drop and gas flows through the PEMFC were studied. The current density was predicted in a wide scope of voltage. The current density - voltage curve and power characteristic of the analysed PEMEC design were obtained. A validation study showed that the developed model was able to assess the PEMFC performance.