Numerical Investigation of the Effects of Channel Cross Section Shape on the Tubular PEMFC Performance

Mohammedi Abdallah; Ben Moussa Hocine; Tamerabet Monsaf; Sahli Youcef

Authors

Mohammedi Abdallah Department of Mechanical engineering, Faculty of technology, University of Batna 2, Algeria
Ben Moussa Hocine Department of Mechanical engineering, Faculty of technology, University of Batna 2, Algeria
Tamerabet Monsaf Department of Mechanical engineering, Faculty of technology, University of Batna 2, Algeria
Sahli Youcef Department of Mechanical engineering, Faculty of technology, University of Batna 2, Algeria

Keywords:

Channel cross section, twisted flow field, tubular PEMFC, reactants consumption, finite volume method

Abstract

In the present study, a novel tubular proton exchange membrane fuel cell with a twisted flow filed is designed to investigate the effect of the channel cross section shapes on the transfer and consumption of reactants and cell performance. Comparisons between three different configurations: rectangular, trapezoidal and triangular cross sections are realized. A complete three-dimensional, isothermal, unsteady and single-phasemodel is employed. The finite volume method in the cylindrical coordinates is used to discretize the continuity, momentum and species conservation equations. A FORTRAN program is developed to resolve the discretized equations system. The velocity, reactants and water distributions are obtained for the three studied cross sections. The results establish that the triangular configuration showsthe best performance relative to the trapezoidal and rectangular cross-sections, this configuration increases strongly in the flow velocity of reactants, enhancing water evacuation process and reactant consumptions. The rectangular cross section has the worst cell performance.