Study on interdigital flow field structure and two phase flow characteristics of PEM electrolyzer

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolytic hydrogen production has the advantages of high current density, high operating pressure, wide power regulation range and so on. It has good adaptability to wind and photovoltaic power with high volatility and recognized as an important way to solve the effective utilization of renewable energy. In PEM electrolyzer cell (PEMEC), anode flow field plate plays a crucial role in the process of water electrolysis to produce oxygen, which affects the of gas and liquid transfer. Among them, the channel blockage caused by bubble retention is an important factor limiting the performance of PEMEC. In this paper, an interdigital flow field plate is designed based on the plant leaf vein system. The two-phase flow behaviors within the interdigital flow field channel are studied. The results show that the interdigital flow field plate is superior to the traditional serpentine flow field in terms of electrolytic efficiency and voltage loss. The reaction kinetics rate is accelerated, the overall ohmic resistance is reduced by about 4.8 %, and the hydrogen production is increased by about 9.1 %. The above research can provide guidance for the structural improvement and performance improvement of PEMEC.