Influence of Cathode Channel Parameters and Fan Duty Ratio on Low Power Forced-Convection Open-Cathode Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Stack

The open-cathode forced-convection proton exchange membrane fuel cell has emerged as a viable option for portable energy sources. The forced-convection open-cathode mode, however, makes the cell’s performance sensitive to changes in the cathode channel and fan parameters. In this study, small fuel cell stacks with varying cathode channel depths, widths, and width–rib ratios were assembled, and the effects of different cathode channel parameters and fan duty ratios on cell performance were investigated. The experimental results show that changing the cathode channel parameters has a significant impact on oxidant supply. When the channel width is increased, the cell performance increases first, then decreases. The cell performance decreases as the channel width–rib ratio increases. The performance of the cell improves as the cathode channel depth increases. Furthermore, the experimental results show that decreasing the duty ratio of the fan and using moderate heating improves cell performance.