NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE EFFECTS OF INHOMOGENEOUS GAS DIFFUSION LAYER AND IMPACT OF INTERFACIAL CONTACT RESISTANCE ON PERFORMANCE OF POLYMER ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELLS

Abstract

A three-dimensional single-channel is modeled numerically to simulate homogeneous and inhomogeneous gas diffusion layer (GDL). The effect of interfacial contact resistance (ICR) between flow field ribs and GDL is also studied. The present study involves GDL being considered as a single component (homogeneous) in one case while in another case, GDL being considered with varying porosities to depict the inhomogeneity. The inhomogeneity in GDL is assumed to occur due to localized deformation induced due to non-uniform contact pressure. The study reveals increased availability of reactants at higher current loads in the case where ICR is assumed negligible. This study explains how the presence and absence of ICR impact reaction concentrations, water concentration, current density and polarization curve of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. It is observed in polarization curve that the presence of ICR has effect both in ohmic and mass transport region. This work involves considering 4 cases viz: homogeneous GDL, inhomogeneous GDL, homogeneous GDL with ICR and inhomogeneous GDL with ICR. © 2022 Proceedings of WHEC 2022 - 23rd World Hydrogen Energy Conference: Bridging Continents by H2. All rights reserved.