Cathode flow field design for nitric oxide/hydrogen fuel cell in cogeneration of hydroxylamine and electricity

Summary A three‐dimensional model is developed for an NO/H2 fuel cell cogenerating hydroxylamine and electricity. The model describes the distribution of velocity and concentration on the cathode side of the fuel cell, making the assumption of fuel excess on the anode side. The developed CFD‐based model is used for evaluation of various cathode flow field designs. Simulation results indicate the possibility of enhancing the fuel cell performance by decreasing the maldistribution of fields. A new cathode flow field design is developed for NO/H2 fuel cell with an improved performance for both energy and hydroxylamine production. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. In this paper, a three‐dimensional model for an NO/H2 fuel cell cogenerating hydroxylamine and electricity is presented. The simulation results indicate a non‐uniform distribution of velocity, and local current density in conventional cathodes with parallel, serpentine, and grid flow field designs. Examination of simulation results for different new designs indicates the possibility of enhancing the fuel cell performance by decreasing the maldistribution of fields. A new cathode flow field design is developed that shows an improved performance for electrochemical reactions.