Design of a Microfluidic System in a PEMFC Cell

In this paper, it is presented the design and simulation of a prototype proton exchange fuel cell (PEMFC) micro scale with the ultimate goal of providing electricity in mobile applications which are almost indispensable in our daily use development. A numerical analysis was done by simulating computational fluid dynamics flow field using the COMSOL Multiphysics software, taking into consideration that our fluid flow with a physical model of creeping flow (Re <400), with which reached analysis to find the pressure distribution and flow rate within two proposals flow plate coil geometric arrangement, concluding that would be used for further study of the proposals, the cell that is located a discarded pressure drop due to the arrangement of the flow plate, thereby achieving optimal distribution of the reagents on the active surface of the fuel cell to the proposed scale.

Taking the final proposal plate electrochemical flow analysis was performed, making the assembly of the physical model using physical Secondary Current Distribution (SIEC) to assess the conservation of electric charge inside the cell and to evaluate conservation physical model species Reactive Flow in Porous Media (RFCs) for anode and cathode. To evaluate the electrical performance of the polarization curves given fuel cell were obtained, i.e. the graph cathode electric potential depending on the electric current density and the graph of the electrical power density based on the density electric current, with which the result and efficiency compared with the theoretical curve of a PEMFC cell polarization observed that achieved by the simulation results shown are acceptable.