Development of open-cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cells using printed circuit board flow-field plates: Flow geometry characterisation
Development of open-cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cells using printed circuit board flow-field plates: Flow geometry characterisation
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DOI：
10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.08.106
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发表时间：
2014-10
影响因子：
7.2
通讯作者：
Oluwamayowa A. Obeisun;Q. Meyer;James B. Robinson;C. Gibbs;A. Kucernak;P. Shearing;D. Brett
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Oluwamayowa A. Obeisun;Q. Meyer;James B. Robinson;C. Gibbs;A. Kucernak;P. Shearing;D. Brett
开放阴极空气呼吸式燃料电池具有降低系统复杂性和简化操作的优点，因为氧气直接从环境空气中获取，而不需要鼓风机/压缩机。在这项研究中，印刷电路板（PCB）被用作流场板。使用多氯联苯由于其完善的制造工艺和低材料成本而具有显著降低成本的潜力。本研究探讨了不同的阴极几何形状（平行和圆形）和开口率（43%，53%和63%）对燃料电池性能的影响，使用极化曲线，电化学阻抗谱（EIS）和热成像。所获得的结果表明，圆形开口提供比平行流场设计更低的欧姆电阻，这有助于改善气体扩散层和流场板之间的接触。然而，具有圆形开口的流场板遭受更大的质量传输限制效应。同样，较大的开口率提供更好的质量传输，但由于平台/肋的面积减小而增加了欧姆电阻。热成像结果揭示了由于印刷电路板流场板的“弯曲”而导致的燃料电池中间的较低温度，这降低了局部电流密度。这些因素之间的权衡导致最大面积比功率密度为250 mW cm−2的设计。
Open-cathode air-breathing fuel cells have the advantage of reduced system complexity and simplified operation, as oxygen is taken directly from ambient air without the need for blowers/compressors. In this study, printed circuit boards (PCBs) are used as flow-field plates. The use of PCBs offers the potential for significant cost reduction due to their well-established manufacturing processing and low materials cost. This study investigates the effect of varying the cathode geometry (parallel and circular) and opening ratios (43%, 53% and 63%) on fuel cell performance using polarisation curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and thermal imaging. The results obtained indicate that circular openings afford lower Ohmic resistance than parallel flow-field designs, which helps improve contact between the gas diffusion layer and flow-field plate. However, flow-field plates with circular openings suffer from greater mass transport limitation effects. Likewise, greater opening ratios offer better mass transport but increased Ohmic resistance as a result of the reduced area of lands/ribs. The thermal imaging results reveal lower temperature in the middle of the fuel cell due to “bowing” of the printed circuit board flow field plates which reduces the local current density. A trade-off between these factors results in a design with a maximum area specific power density of 250 mW cm−2.