Integration of design of experiment and finite element method for the study of geometrical parameters in metallic bipolar plates for PEMFCs

Bipolar plates are among the most important components of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells that are responsible for a high percentage of their weights and costs. Metals are a suitable replacement for thick graphite plates that require high machining costs. The present study investigates the manufacturing process of metallic bipolar plates with a thickness of 0.1 mm using the stamping process. One of the problems with the formation of metallic bipolar plates is their rupture during plastic deformation. This study is aimed to investigate the effects of the geometrical parameters of bipolar plates, including channel width, rib width, channel depth, draft angle, and corner radius, on the formation of sheets. By designing some experiments, the effect of each parameter on the thinning percentage and filling depth of the bipolar plates were evaluated. The required data is obtained using the commercial finite element code. The results show that the channel depth, draft angle, and corner radius have the most effect on the plate thinning. In addition, the corner radius and the draft angle have the highest effect on the maximum channel depth. Finally, the thinning percentage and the filling depth for other geometric parameters can be predicted by a mathematical equation. (C) 2021 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Bipolar plates play a crucial role in fuel cells, and this study mainly focuses on the manufacturing process of metallic bipolar plates and the influence of geometric parameters on the plate formation. Experimental results indicate that channel depth, draft angle, and corner radius have the most significant effect on plate thinning, while corner radius and draft angle have the greatest impact on maximum channel depth.