Investigation of Cross-Sectional Aspect Ratios in Straight Flow Channels on PEMFC Performance Using OpenFOAM

Abstract

In this study, a three-dimensional, multiphase, non-isothermal computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to investigate the impact of varying channel cross-sectional aspect ratios on power density, pressure drop, and transport phenomena in a single straight-channel proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Five aspect ratios (width-to-depth ratios of 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0) were evaluated using the open-source CFD software, OpenFOAM. The findings indicate that channel aspect ratio significantly affects power density, especially at medium to high current densities. The aspect ratio of 1.0 achieved the highest power density, suggesting optimal performance, while the aspect ratio of 2.0 produced the lowest power density. Additionally, the greatest pressure drop occurred at an aspect ratio of 0.5, with the lowest pressure drop observed at an aspect ratio of 2.0. These results highlight the importance of channel geometry in enhancing PEMFC efficiency and provide valuable insights for optimizing fuel cell design.