Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) are considered a crucial technology for mitigating resource limitations and addressing environmental challenges. To improve the output power and mass transfer characteristics of PEMFCs, this study developed a three-dimensional (3D) model of a PEMFC with a wedge-shaped flow field plate using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods. This study focused on analyzing the flow behavior and thermal management of reactants, as well as investigating the water removal capacity and mass transfer characteristics across different angular channel configurations. The results indicated that different air intake modes combined with wedge-shaped flow channels affected the mass transfer within the fuel cell. The performance of the PEMFC was most significantly affected when the reaction gases flowed convectively. At a tilt angle of 18° and a voltage of 0.25 V, the maximum current density reached 1.9547 A/cm2, representing a 24% increase compared to the conventional parallel flow channel. Under these conditions, the reactive gases were more uniformly distributed within the PEMFC. The results demonstrated that the new wedge-shaped flow field plate in the PEMFC generates high current densities at larger tilt angles and lower voltages, improving oxygen distribution and facilitating efficient liquid water removal.
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