Numerical Investigation of Single- and Two-Phase Flow Distribution in Large-Scale Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

In the context of enhancing the performance and longevity of large-scale proton exchange membrane fuel cells, flow uniformity emerges as a pivotal factor. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that the existing studies on the flow distribution in the flow field plate (FFP) focus on the gas-only phase rather than the gas–liquid two phases. Therefore, a 3D two-phase model of the FFP is constructed in this work. The single- and two-phase flow distribution is investigated. First, the effects of the FFP aspect ratio are examined based on the single-phase flow to understand the fundamental flow distribution. Second, an optimization scheme of single- and two-phase flow uniformity is developed based on the flow and resistance regulation mechanism. The importance of the collection zone is underscored. The single- and two-phase flow uniformity is improved by 27.4 and 33.3%, respectively. Third, a design methodology is proposed, and the superior effects of which on both single- and two-phase flow uniformity are validated through the application in FFPs with various geometries. These findings are hopeful to guide the design of FFPs in industrial practice.