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Understanding porous water-transport plates in polymer-electrolyte fuel cells

Publication Type

Journal Article

Date Published

05/2007

Authors

Weber, Adam Z., Robert M. Darling

DOI

10.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.02.078

Abstract

In this article, numerical simulations are used to compare polymer-electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) with porous flow-field plates to cells with conventional solid plates. The model clarifies the role of the porous plates in humidifying dry reactant streams and managing liquid water. The influence of gas-diffusion-layer (GDL) and bipolar-plate properties and coolant vacuum on the behavior of the cell is investigated.

Journal

Journal of Power Sources

Volume

168

Year of Publication

2007

Organization

Energy Conversion Group, Energy Storage and Distributed Resources Division

Research Areas

ECG: Fuel Cells, Weber Lab