文献类型：期刊文献

英文题名：A novel mesh-type design of transition zone for cooling flow channel to improve flow distribution and heat transfer in large-scale PEM fuel cells

作者：Wang, Bin[1];Pan, Weitong[1];Zhang, Guoyu[1];Hu, Zichao[1];Tang, Longfei[1];Chen, Xueli[1];Wang, Fuchen[1]

机构：[1]East China Univ Sci & Technol, Engn Res Ctr Resource Utilizat Carbon Containing W, Minist Educ, Shanghai 200237, Peoples R China

年份：2025

卷号：277

外文期刊名：APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING

收录：;EI(收录号：20252318566928);WOS:【SCI-EXPANDED(收录号:WOS:001509128300020)】；

基金：The research is supported by National Key Research and Develop-ment Program of China (2024YFB4006705) .

语种：英文

外文关键词：Large-scale proton exchange membrane fuel; cell; Cooling flow channel; Mesh-type transition zone; Flow distribution; Heat transfer

摘要：The transition zone of the Cooling Flow Channel (CFC) plays a critical role in the thermal management of largescale Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells, which is an aspect rarely addressed in existing studies. The objective of this work is to clarify the flow distribution and heat transfer in the CFC of large-scale PEM fuel cells and to present an optimized design of transition zones. Firstly, a heat transfer model of the CFC is constructed. Two traditional designs of transition zones are re-examined. Compared to the empty transition zone, channeltype and dot matrix-type layouts elevate flow non-uniformity by 72.60% and 725.73%, respectively. Secondly, a novel mesh-type design is proposed. The core lies in distributing the central fluid flow toward lateral sides. After adding horizontal mesh with apertures in the transition zone, flow and temperature uniformity are improved, enhancing convective transfer and thereby reducing the average temperature. On this basis, a design methodology is developed, and its applicability is confirmed by varying the geometric and operational conditions, respectively. Thirdly, a full-scale model of large-scale PEM fuel cells is constructed. The superior impacts of this novel design on flow distribution and heat transfer are validated. Flow non-uniformity is reduced by 59.13%, improving heat transfer and cell performance. The findings of this work suggest that the novel mesh-type design is promising to be an option for the transition zone of the CFC in large-scale PEM fuel cells in the future.