A Three-dimensional Numerical Simulation Study for the Cathode Side of a Fuel Cell

抄録

A numerical simulation study of fluid flow, heat and mass transfer in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) was performed. The three-dimensional continuity, momentum, and mass transport equations were discretized by the finite volume technique on the staggered mesh and solved by the SIMPLE algorism. The electrochemical reaction at the catalyst layer was considered in the model. Effects of flow rate, flow field, and channel configuration on current density distribution were examined to optimize the fuel cell design for high-energy efficiency and high power density performance. Simulation results show that insufficient inlet gas flow rate and low humidity would reduce the performance of the fuel cell. The effect of channel depth on current density and flow field was also presented.