Three dimensional numerical investigations for the effects of gas diffusion layer on PEM fuel cell performance

• Published in: Renewable energy Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 529 - 535
• Main Authors: Inamuddin, Cheema, Taqi Ahmad, Zaidi, S.M.J., Rahman, S.U.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bipolar plate; Catalysts; CFD-ACE; Density; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; equipment performance; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells; Gas diffusion; Gas diffusion layer; Joints; PEMFC; Porosity; Simulation; simulation models; Thickness; Three dimensional models; Thickness; PEMFC; Porosity; Gas diffusion layer; Bipolar plate; CFD-ACE
• ISSN: 0960-1481; 1879-0682
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2010.07.008

Gas diffusion layer (GDL) is an important component of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) to take part in the interplay of the transport of different species. It has been found that the performance of a PEMFC depends upon the morphology of the GDL. The performance of PEM fuel cell varies with different porosity and thickness of the GDL. Hence, a three dimensional model is simulated to find out the effects of porosity and thickness of GDL on PEMFC performance using a commercial code CFD-ACE+. It was observed that high porosity gave high current density by allowing more reactants to reach the reaction site. Similarly greater thickness of the GDL gives reactant species to increase the consumption rate at the GDL/catalyst layer interface. The simulation results showed that the connection of bipolar plate with the GDL played an important role for reducing the amount of reactants to reach the catalyst layer especially under the land area of the bipolar plate. However, this effect seems to decrease with an increase of overall porosity and the thickness of the GDL.