A Study of the Influence of Gas Channel Parameters on HT-PEM Fuel Cell Performance Using FEM Analysis

Abstract

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) are highly efficient power generators, achieving up to 50-60% conversion efficiency, even in sizes of a few kilowatts. Comsol Multiphysics, a commercial solver based on the Finite Element Method (FEM) was used for developing a three dimensional model of a high temperature PEMFC that can deal with both anode and cathode flow field for examining the micro flow channel with electrochemical reaction. Cathode gas flow velocity influence on the cell performance was investigated at first. Polarization curves for three different channel widths (0.8, 1.6 and 2.4 mm) and three different channel depths (1, 2 and 3 mm) were computed at a cathode inlet flow velocity of 0.06 m/s. Oxygen molar concentration at cathode catalyst layer-GDL channel interface and local current density variation along the cell length were also studied for specific gas channel geometries.