Effect of reactant gas flow orientation on the current and temperature distribution in self-heating polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Fuel cell polarisation performance is typically reported under controlled/constant temperature conditions, as a sign of robust metrology. However, in practice, fuel cells self-heat they generate current; which varies the across curve and affects performance. More detail regarding internal operation can be gleaned by current distribution mapping. For case an unheated cell, ‘self-heating’ increases improves performance, resulting ‘voltage recovery’ more homogeneous water distribution. actively heated cells, reduced observed regions high low humidity. The positioning gas manifolds also has decisive impact on affecting reactant concentration, humidity Counter- cross-flow orientations self-heating were studied, with counter-flow orientation air flowing gravity producing most uniform • Performance should studied controlled modes. Self-heating PEFCs recovers voltage. Temperature distributions form uneven current, distributions. A could minimise degradation over time. Counter-flow flow gives even