Applied Chemistry for Engineering (공업화학)

The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (한국공업화학회)
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Self-pressurization Effect and PEMFC Performance Improvement Using Metal Foam Compression

금속 폼 압축에 의한 자가 가압 효과 및 PEMFC 성능 개선

  • Kim, Hyeonwoo (School of Chemical Engineering, University of Ulsan) ;
  • Kim, Junbom (School of Chemical Engineering, University of Ulsan)
  • Received : 2022.10.24
  • Accepted : 2022.11.26
  • Published : 2022.12.10
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Abstract

The bipolar plate is a key component of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) that transfers reactants and electrons, discharges water and heat as by-products, and serves as a mechanical support for the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). Therefore, the flow field structure of the bipolar plate plays an important role in improving fuel cell performance. In this study, PEMFC performance was investigated with copper foams with different compressibility ratios applied to cathode bipolar plates using a 25 cm2 unit cell. The total resistance decreased as the compressibility ratio of the metal foams increased, and, in particular, the charge transfer and mass transfer resistance were significantly improved compared to the serpentine flow field, lowering voltage loss in medium and high current density region. In the case of pressurized air reactant flow with serpentine structure, fuel cell performance was similar to that of a compressed metal foam flow field (S3) up to the medium current density region, but low performance appeared in the high current density region due to flow field structure limitations.

분리판은 반응물 및 전자를 전달하고 부산물인 물과 열을 배출하며, 막전극접합체의 지지체 역할을 하는 고분자전해질 연료전지의 핵심 구성요소이다. 따라서 분리판의 유로 구조는 연료전지의 성능을 향상시키는데 중요한 역할을 한다. 본 연구에서는 압축률이 다른 구리 폼을 cathode 분리판에 적용한 25 cm2 단위 전지를 이용하여 성능 평가를 수행하였다. 금속 폼의 압축률이 증가할수록 총 저항이 감소하였으며, 특히 전하전달과 물질전달 저항이 사형 유로에 비해 크게 개선되어 중전류밀도 및 고전류밀도 영역에서 전압 손실을 줄일 수 있었다. 가압한 공기를 사용한 사형 유로 구조의 경우 연료전지의 성능이 압축한 금속 폼(S3)을 적용한 유로와 중전류밀도 영역까지는 큰 차이가 없었으나, 고전류밀도 영역에서는 유로 구조의 한계로 낮은 성능을 보였다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

이 논문은 2022년 울산대학교 연구비에 의하여 연구되었음.

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