Effect of Metallic Bipolar Plates Fillet Radii on Fuel Cell Performance

This paper studies the effects of compression, deformation, and the contact area in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The electrical impedance of fuel cell stacks due to the assembly of the metallic bipolar plates is also considered. According to decades-long fuel cell (FC) assembly experience, an increase in compression force can result in adequate contact resistance, but excessive compression may cause extra contact resistance and damage to the MEA structure. The study suggests a design for improving the performance of the FC stack by proposing different fillet radii metallic bipolar plates. It is found that the appropriate fillet radius reduces contact resistance by 13% and avoids the accumulation of compression, thereby maintaining contact resistance at adequate levels. The current design proposes a simple and effective method to minimize the dimension tolerance of single fuel cell units and support sufficient compression.

Automated summary

This study examines the effects of compression, deformation, and contact area in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and considers the electrical impedance of fuel cell stacks due to the assembly of metallic bipolar plates. It suggests that an increase in compression force can improve contact resistance, but excessive compression may lead to extra contact resistance and damage to the MEA structure. By proposing different fillet radii metallic bipolar plates, the study found that an appropriate fillet radius can reduce contact resistance by 13% and prevent the accumulation of compression, thus maintaining contact resistance at adequate levels. The current design offers a simple and effective method to minimize dimension tolerance of single fuel cell units and support sufficient compression.