Flow-field design of the bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell: Problem, progress, and perspective
As a promising carbon-neutral technology, the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is gaining considerable attention over the past decades. Many problems in PEMFC performance and durability can be ultimately ascribed to the flow-field design, which is a complex and systematic work owing to...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2024-03-01
|
| Series: | Applications in Energy and Combustion Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666352X23001334 |
| _version_ | 1797277312434044928 |
|---|---|
| author | Yong Zhang Zhengkai Tu |
| author_facet | Yong Zhang Zhengkai Tu |
| author_sort | Yong Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As a promising carbon-neutral technology, the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is gaining considerable attention over the past decades. Many problems in PEMFC performance and durability can be ultimately ascribed to the flow-field design, which is a complex and systematic work owing to the inherent sophisticated nature of the PEMFC with multicomponent mass transportation and multiphysics field coupling. This paper presents a critical review of the state-of-the-art flow-field designs and an in-depth analysis of the key problems involved from a perspective of efficient mass transport within the PEMFC. In particular, flow-optimization principles are discussed specifically for the enhancement in reactant mass transfer, water management, optimized opening ratio, uniformity of flow distribution, and choice of appropriate numerical approaches assisting the flow-field design. The material formability and forming accuracy and their effects are also discussed for metallic bipolar plates. The objective of this review work is to present a comprehensive overview of the problems, progresses, and perspectives of the flow-field designs for bipolar plates in PEMFC and provide a general theoretical instruction for present and future relevant R&D activities that aim at high-performance, durable, and low-cost fuel cells. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:45:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c6916e165fad43a9bc38386bcdfc583a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-352X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:45:53Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applications in Energy and Combustion Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-c6916e165fad43a9bc38386bcdfc583a2024-03-05T04:30:59ZengElsevierApplications in Energy and Combustion Science2666-352X2024-03-0117100244Flow-field design of the bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell: Problem, progress, and perspectiveYong Zhang0Zhengkai Tu1State Key Laboratory of Air-conditioning Equipment and System Energy Conservation, Zhuhai 519070, China; Key Laboratory of Fuel Cell Technology of Guangdong Province, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, ChinaSchool of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; Corresponding author.As a promising carbon-neutral technology, the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is gaining considerable attention over the past decades. Many problems in PEMFC performance and durability can be ultimately ascribed to the flow-field design, which is a complex and systematic work owing to the inherent sophisticated nature of the PEMFC with multicomponent mass transportation and multiphysics field coupling. This paper presents a critical review of the state-of-the-art flow-field designs and an in-depth analysis of the key problems involved from a perspective of efficient mass transport within the PEMFC. In particular, flow-optimization principles are discussed specifically for the enhancement in reactant mass transfer, water management, optimized opening ratio, uniformity of flow distribution, and choice of appropriate numerical approaches assisting the flow-field design. The material formability and forming accuracy and their effects are also discussed for metallic bipolar plates. The objective of this review work is to present a comprehensive overview of the problems, progresses, and perspectives of the flow-field designs for bipolar plates in PEMFC and provide a general theoretical instruction for present and future relevant R&D activities that aim at high-performance, durable, and low-cost fuel cells.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666352X23001334PEMFCBipolar platesFlow-field designEfficient mass transportFlow-optimization principles |
| spellingShingle | Yong Zhang Zhengkai Tu Flow-field design of the bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell: Problem, progress, and perspective Applications in Energy and Combustion Science PEMFC Bipolar plates Flow-field design Efficient mass transport Flow-optimization principles |
| title | Flow-field design of the bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell: Problem, progress, and perspective |
| title_full | Flow-field design of the bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell: Problem, progress, and perspective |
| title_fullStr | Flow-field design of the bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell: Problem, progress, and perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flow-field design of the bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell: Problem, progress, and perspective |
| title_short | Flow-field design of the bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell: Problem, progress, and perspective |
| title_sort | flow field design of the bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell problem progress and perspective |
| topic | PEMFC Bipolar plates Flow-field design Efficient mass transport Flow-optimization principles |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666352X23001334 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yongzhang flowfielddesignofthebipolarplatesinpolymerelectrolytemembranefuelcellproblemprogressandperspective AT zhengkaitu flowfielddesignofthebipolarplatesinpolymerelectrolytemembranefuelcellproblemprogressandperspective |