Kulkarni, N;
Meyer, Q;
Hack, J;
Jervis, R;
Iacoviello, F;
Ronaszegi, K;
Adcock, P;
... Brett, DJL; + view all
(2019)
Examining the effect of the secondary flow-field on polymer electrolyte fuel cells using X-ray computed radiography and computational modelling.
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
, 44
(2)
pp. 1139-1150.
10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.11.038.
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Abstract
Flow-fields are key factors in determining the operation of fuel cells. While extensive work has been conducted to develop and optimise the reactant flow and current collection performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) components, there is a factor that remains largely unaccounted for. Depending on how a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is incorporated into a cell, there will often be a small gap between the edge of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and the seal or bipolar plate. This gap acts as a ‘secondary flow-field’ (SFF) that can bypass or affect/augment the conventional or ‘primary flow-field’. Understanding how this affects performance (either positively or adversely) is essential for holistic flow-field design. This paper describes the issues associated with the SFF, examines how cell compression affects its width due to lateral expansion of the GDL and discusses the results of a 3-D computational model that investigates the effect of the SFF during dead-ended anode (DEA) operation for a fuel cell without a macroscopic (conventional) anode flow-field.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Examining the effect of the secondary flow-field on polymer electrolyte fuel cells using X-ray computed radiography and computational modelling |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.11.038 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.11.038 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Secondary flow-field, Manufacturing tolerance, Gas diffusion layer compression, Computational modelling, X-ray radiography |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Chemical Engineering |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10071712 |
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