Bethapudi, VS;
Hack, J;
Hinds, G;
Shearing, PR;
Brett, DJL;
Coppens, M-O;
(2021)
Electro-thermal mapping of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells with a fractal flow-field.
Energy Conversion and Management
, 250
, Article 114924. 10.1016/j.enconman.2021.114924.
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Abstract
Electro-thermal maps of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) show the spatial distribution of current density and temperature, which is useful to evaluate their performance. Here, electro-thermal mapping is carried out for the first time on a PEMFC with a fractal cathode flow-field, the design of which emulates the efficient, scalable air transport inside the lungs. Such maps are compared with those of a conventional single-serpentine flow-field PEMFC. Each cell’s performance is characterised by analysing the surface distribution of current density and temperature at different reactant relative humidity (RH) and cell voltage. Relationships are shown between segment current densities and surface temperatures, and between reactant relative humidity and cell operating conditions. The cells with a fractal flow-field deliver better electrochemical performance and exhibit more homogeneous current distributions compared to those with a single-serpentine flow-field, in which the current distribution is non-uniform due to cell flooding. The surface temperatures are higher in cells with a fractal flow-field than in those with a single-serpentine flow-field, consistent with the observed cell performances. In addition, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy characterisation indicates flooding in the single-serpentine cells, but not in the fractal cells.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Electro-thermal mapping of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells with a fractal flow-field |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.enconman.2021.114924 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2021.114924 |
| 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: | Current mapping, Temperature mapping, Fractal, Nature-inspired, Fuel cell, Flooding |
| 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/10137555 |
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