Mechanical contact analysis on the interfaces in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Abstract

The power density of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) depends on several parameters. The contact resistance between the bipolar plate (BPP) and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and the porosity of the GDL are two main parameters involved in the performance of the PEMFC. The purpose of this work is to develop a numerical model to describe the contact behavior (contact zone, contact force) on the interfaces between the different layers in order to propose an optimal structure for the high performance of PEM fuel cells. Numerical results can help to increase the knowledge of fuel cell's performance and to determine the optimal structure which can be used in the design of fuel cells.