Experimental and Numerical Study of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with a Novel Compound Flow Field

Abstract

Excess water seriously affects the performance and lifetime of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). This study proposes a novel compound flow field, which is named the active drainage flow field (ADFF). The new design enhances the drainage performance by under-ribs flow, while the output performance is very close to that of the conventional serpentine flow field (CSFF). Additionally, the ADFF bipolar plate has been taken as a cathode while retaining CSFF as an anode; the combination shows a good output performance under high relative humidity. The peak power density has reached to 0.59 W/cm2, which is 13% higher than that of the CSFF.