Effects of cathode enhanced cooling channels and microporous metal mesh on performance of open cathode air-cooled fuel cells

Hydrothermal management balance is a key factor that restricts the output performance and commercialization process of air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). The optimal operating temperature range for low-temperature PEMFC is 40~50 ℃, and the appropriate amount of generated water helps optimize heat and mass transfer within the fuel cell stack, thereby improving its performance. In this study, we have designed a novel graphite bipolar plate for air-cooled fuel cells. This bipolar plate features an enhanced cooling channel between the anode and cathode, which works in conjunction with the cathode channel to significantly enhance temperature control accuracy and distribution uniformity. Compared to a bipolar plate design without an enhanced cooling channel, this design increases current density from 700 mA/cm² to 900 mA/cm² at an output voltage of 0.6 V. Additionally, by introducing a microporous metal mesh between the cathode side and membrane electrode, water retention is improved effectively while enhancing mass transfer efficiency. As a result, current density at 0.6 V can be further increased to 1200 mA/cm².