Mid-baffle interdigitated flow fields for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy 2011-03, Vol.36 (5), p.3614-3622
• Main Authors: Thitakamol, Vilasinee, Therdthianwong, Apichai, Therdthianwong, Supaporn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air flow; Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Bipolar plate design; Cathodes; Constraining; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells; Fuels; Gas flow; Hydrogen; Interdigitated flow field; Limiting current density; Membranes; Mid-baffle interdigitated flow field; Oxidants; Oxidizing agents; PEM fuel cells; Polarization
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.12.060

A new design of an interdigitated flow field, called as a mid-baffle interdigitated flow field, was built and tested for its effect on the performance of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The results were compared to the conventional interdigitated flow field. Their performances at different oxidant gas flow rates and operating pressures were also examined and compared by using both O 2 and air as the cathode fuel reactants. The experimental results showed that when air was used as the cathode reactant, the cell with the mid-baffle interdigitated flow field outperformed the conventional one, giving a power output approximately 1.2–1.3 times higher depending on the air flow rates. The polarization curves of the mid-baffle interdigitated flow field showed larger limiting current densities at every air flow rate tested in this work. However, the performances of both flow fields were almost the same when the cathode reactant gas was O 2. The test also demonstrated that the flow field performance could be enhanced by increasing the oxidant gas flow rate and cell operating pressure.