Numerical Investigation of Thermal and Mechanical Responses in PEMFC Under Combined Loading Conditions

The mechanical and thermal responses of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) under various temperature loadings and clamping forces are essential for their operational performance and reliability. In this investigation, the thermo-mechanical performance of the PEMFC was examined under clamping force and varying temperature loads using numerical simulations conducted with ANSYS software. Focusing on the thermal stresses generated in the membrane, often considered the core component of the PEMFC, under different temperature conditions, along with the corresponding temperature distributions within the cell. Thermo-mechanical analyses were conducted with a fixed clamping torque of 10 Nm. The thermal stress analysis indicated that the maximum stress on the membrane nearly doubled when the operating temperature increased from 50 °C (1.006 MPa) to 80 °C (2.083 MPa). This increase was primarily attributed to the mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients between adjacent layers. Moreover, under a 10 Nm clamping torque, the combined thermo-mechanical stress decreased gradually by about 9% with increasing temperature, indicating that the applied mechanical compression compensates the thermally induced stresses. These findings reveal that the applied clamping torque not only governs the stress distribution but also compensates for thermally induced deformations, thereby enhancing the structural stability and durability of the membrane. The results provide valuable engineering insight for improving the thermo-mechanical reliability and long-term performance of PEMFC assemblies.