Study on Self-Humidification in PEMFC with Crossed Flow Channels and an Ultra-Thin Membrane

Wang, Chenlong; Chen, Xiaosong; Xiang, Xin; Zhang, Heng; Huang, Zhiping; Huang, Xinhao; Zhan, Zhigang

doi:10.3390/polym15234589

Open AccessArticle

Study on Self-Humidification in PEMFC with Crossed Flow Channels and an Ultra-Thin Membrane

by

Chenlong Wang

^1,2,

Xiaosong Chen

^1,2,

Xin Xiang

^1,2,

Heng Zhang

^1,2

,

Zhiping Huang

^1,2,

Xinhao Huang

^1,2 and

Zhigang Zhan

^1,2,*

¹

State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China

²

Hubei Key Laboratory of Fuel Cells, Wuhan 430070, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Polymers 2023, 15(23), 4589; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15234589

Submission received: 4 November 2023 / Revised: 26 November 2023 / Accepted: 28 November 2023 / Published: 30 November 2023

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational and Experimental Approaches in Polymeric Materials)

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Abstract

In this study, a 3D model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with crossed channels and an ultra-thin membrane is developed to investigate the feasibility of self-humidification; experiments utilizing a PEMFC stack with identical configurations are conducted to validate the simulation results and further investigate the effects of various operating conditions (OCs) on self-humidification. The results indicate that the crossed flow channel leads to enhanced uniformity of water distribution, resulting in improved cell performance under low/no humidification conditions. External humidifiers for the anode can be removed since the performance difference is negligible (≤3%) between RHa = 0% and 100%. Self-humidification can be achieved in the stack at 90 °C or below with an appropriate back pressure among 100–200 kPa. As the current density increases, there is a gradual convergence and crossing of the voltage at low RH with that at high RH, and the crossover points are observed at 60–80 °C with suitable pressure when successful self-humidification is achieved. Below the current density of the point, the stack’s performance is inferior at lower RH due to membrane unsaturation, and conversely, the performance is inferior at higher RH due to flooding; this current density decreases with higher pressure and lower temperature.

Keywords: PEMFC; 3D model; self-humidification; crossed channel; ultra-thin membrane; operating condition; water distribution; cell performance

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MDPI and ACS Style

Wang, C.; Chen, X.; Xiang, X.; Zhang, H.; Huang, Z.; Huang, X.; Zhan, Z. Study on Self-Humidification in PEMFC with Crossed Flow Channels and an Ultra-Thin Membrane. Polymers 2023, 15, 4589. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15234589

AMA Style

Wang C, Chen X, Xiang X, Zhang H, Huang Z, Huang X, Zhan Z. Study on Self-Humidification in PEMFC with Crossed Flow Channels and an Ultra-Thin Membrane. Polymers. 2023; 15(23):4589. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15234589

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wang, Chenlong, Xiaosong Chen, Xin Xiang, Heng Zhang, Zhiping Huang, Xinhao Huang, and Zhigang Zhan. 2023. "Study on Self-Humidification in PEMFC with Crossed Flow Channels and an Ultra-Thin Membrane" Polymers 15, no. 23: 4589. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15234589

APA Style

Wang, C., Chen, X., Xiang, X., Zhang, H., Huang, Z., Huang, X., & Zhan, Z. (2023). Study on Self-Humidification in PEMFC with Crossed Flow Channels and an Ultra-Thin Membrane. Polymers, 15(23), 4589. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15234589

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Study on Self-Humidification in PEMFC with Crossed Flow Channels and an Ultra-Thin Membrane

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