Simulation and experimental investigation of a parallel serpentine-baffle flow field plate against fuel crossover in a direct ethanol proton exchange membrane fuel cell G. Benetti, E. Mathias, P. M. Belchor and M.M.C. Fort 2018/04/20

Abstract

The negative effects of ethanol crossover through the electrolyte membrane are potential reduction and cathode depolarization, which decrease the overall efficiency of the direct ethanol proton exchange membrane fuel cell (DE-PEMFC). In this paper, different combinations of two flow field plates, parallel serpentine-baffle (PSBFFP) and parallel serpentine (PSFFP), in the anode and cathode is investigated aiming of minimizing ethanol crossover in the cell. The ethanol crossover is evaluated by simulating the fuel flow and experimental test in DE-PEMFC prototype unit. The results show that ethanol crossover through the membrane electrolyte assembly (MEA) is minimized when the anode and cathode were fitted with PSFFP and PSBFFP, respectively. The crossover reduction is due to the high oxygen gas pressure in the discontinuous channels of PSBFFP in contact with MEA on the cathode side. On the other hand, no ethanol molecule reaches the cathode by crossover at the continuous channel of PSBFFP, which is the fuel cell outlet and has low pressure. The water produced by the redox reaction exits the cell through the low-pressure continuous channel, which improves the overall fuel cell performance.

Authors and affiliations

G. Benetti1, E. Mathias1, P. M. Belchor1 and M.M.C. Forte2
1. ACET, UNOESC. Campus II of Joaçaba – (Brazil)
2. PPGE3M, UFRGS. Campus Vale – Agronomia, Porto Alegre (Brazil)

Key words

Fuel cells, flow field plate, ethanol, crossover, simulation.

References

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