Characterization of Flow Within a Fuel Cell Manifold Subject to Asymmetric Inlet Conditions

Achievement of flow uniformity among cells of a fuel cell stack continues to be an issue in fuel cell design and can affect performance and longevity. While many studies have sought to examine the effects of manifold and cell geometries on stack pressure drops and current density, few have provided detailed mapping of the manifold flowfield or examined the effect of reactant supply pipe bends on this flow, as these bends can introduce flow asymmetries within the pipe downstream of the bend. A simplified scaled up model of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell was fitted with different inlet flow configurations, including straight piping and piping containing a 90 deg bend and 180 deg bend prior to entering the manifold. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to obtain mean and fluctuating velocity statistics within the manifold and in individual cells. These distributions were compared with previous results using a partially developed square inlet profile, as well as available experimental and computational data in the literature. The presence of pipe bends resulted in highly skewed flow within the manifold, which also affected the flow distribution among individual cells.