Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
CASE STUDIES IN THERMAL ENGINEERING, cilt.74, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
This study systematically investigates the influence of heating power and the number of plates on the displacement, temperature, and stress characteristics of bipolar plates in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells, which play a pivotal role in determining the overall performance and durability of fuel cell stacks. A comprehensive numerical simulation framework, implemented via COMSOL Multiphysics, was employed to evaluate these parameters under varied operating conditions, including heating power levels ranging from 200 W to 300 W and plate quantities spanning from 100 to 200. Boundary conditions encompassed manifold pressures between 2 MPa and 8 MPa, as well as heat transfer coefficients in the gas channels varying from 50 to 70 W/m2K. The simulation outcomes reveal that augmentations in heating power and plate count exert a pronounced effect on the mechanical deformation and thermal profiles of the system. Specifically, displacement values ranged from 2.38 mu m to 2.92 mu m, with the maximum displacement observed at 300 W heating power combined with 150 plates, and the minimum at 200 W with 200 plates. Temperature measurements varied between 89.1 degrees C and 103 degrees C, exhibiting a peak at the highest heating power and intermediate plate count, and a minimum at the lowest heating power with the highest plate count. Correspondingly, stress values spanned from 6.12 MPa to 10.7 MPa, following a similar distribution pattern. These findings underscore the critical interdependence of heating power and plate quantity on the structural integrity and thermal management of PEM fuel cell bipolar plates. The results advocate for meticulous optimization of these parameters to enhance mechanical stability, improve thermal dissipation, and ensure prolonged durability of fuel cell stacks under practical operational scenarios. The insights derived from this study provide valuable guidance for the design and operational optimization of PEM fuel cell systems aimed at maximizing reliability and performance.