An investigation of the PEM fuel cells performance with partially restricted cathode flow channels and metal foam as a flow distributor

In the present work, the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells is studied for three cases; A fuel cell with two parallel flow channels (model A), locally baffle restricted flow channels (model B), and metal foam as a flow distributor (model C). The fully coupled thermal-electrochemical equations are numerically solved in three dimensions, based on the macroscopic, single-domain, and finite-volume approaches. While having no significant effect on temperature distribution, the existence of baffles inside flow channels results in more oxygen penetration into gas diffusion and catalyst layers at the cathode side of the cell. This improves the chemical reaction rate, current density and cell performance. Using metal foam increases oxygen concentration and current density at the cathode catalyst surface, and improves the uniformity of their distributions. Furthermore, a more uniform temperature distribution is achieved, when compared with the other cases. For the considered dimensions, it is observed that decreasing the flow channel depth results to an increase in current density and also in pressure drop along channels (models A and C). Moreover, increasing metal foam porosity can increase the current density value and decrease pressure drop in model C, while it has nearly no effects on temperature distribution. •Using baffles inside flow channels increases the value of current density.•The fuel cell performance can be improved by metal foam as a flow distributor.•Metal foam produces nearly uniform current density and temperature distributions.•Temperature along the flow channel does not affected by the metal foam porosity.•Flow Channels depth has effects on current density and temperature distributions.