# Performance and Parameter Sensitivity Analysis of the PEMFC Flow Channel with Porous Baffles
###### Abstract  
In this paper, a method to improve the performance of PEMFC using porous material as a flow channel baffle is proposed. The results show that PEMFCs with four porous baffles flow channels have better performance at high current density compared with the traditional flow channel. The structural parameters of the flow channel explored in this study include porosity, the thickness of the baffle and the number of baffles, and their influence on the performance of PEMFCs. Sensitivity analysis results show that the performance of the PEMFCs with the porous baffle channel is the most sensitive to baffle thickness, and the thickness and baffle could be appropriately adjusted. The number of plates and porosity of the baffle are adjusted to improve the performance of the PEMFCs. PEMFC; channel design; baffle of porous material; enhancing mass transfer; sensitivity analysis; fuel cell +
Footnote †: journal: Applied Sciences  
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Footnote 1: email: _Applied_  
Footnote †: journal: Applied Sciences
performance of fuel cells. The research shows that the parallel channel with step depth design significantly improves the performance of PEMFCs. Some studies have improved the performance of PEMFCs by adding obstacles in the flow channel. [PERSON] et al. [7] added deflectors and baffles and studied the influence of geometric parameters of deflectors on the performance of fuel cells. The results show that the performance of the deflector was best at an included angle of 30\({}^{\circ}\), 0.5 mm width and 6.0 mm pacing. The new flow channel enhances the diffusion of gas to the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and catalytic layer (CL), resulting in an increase in the reaction gas concentration and reaction speed in the CL. [PERSON] et al. [8] studied the influence of flow field blockage on the PEMFC performance and developed a PEMFC flow field with a blocked flow effect. CFD simulation results showed that rectangular and semicircular plugs increase the diffusion rate of reactants and improved the performance of the PEMFC. The bionic channel [9; 10] was proposed by studying the shape and structure of organisms. [PERSON] et al. [9] introduced tree fractals into the design of interdigital flow fields and found that the power density of PEMFCs based on tree fractal interdigital flow fields was 36.7% higher than that of the interdigital flow field. [PERSON] et al. [10] established a PEMFC model with a wavy channel and optimized the PEMFC model by CFD. The simulation results show that the corrugated channel improved the performance of PEMFCs and the discharge of liquid water in the microporous layer. The optimum structural parameters of the channel were obtained, d, with a minimum depth of 0.45 mm and a minimum wavelength of 2 mm. [PERSON] et al. [11] established a wavy serpentine channel to improve the defect of a large inlet and outlet pressure difference of the traditional serpentine channel. PEMFCs with wavy serpentine channels were numerically simulated and verified by Fluent. The verification results show that the model is superior to the traditional serpentine channel in promoting the transport of cathode reactants and removing liquid water. [PERSON] et al. [12] established a bionic flow channel based on the plant vein structure. The comparison between the fluent simulation and traditional serpentine flow channel show that the maximum current density of the bionic flow channel based on the plant vein structure is 34.6% higher than that of the traditional serpentine flow channel and had better performance. In order to solve the uneven distribution of materials under the ribs of the direct channel and the elimination of water in the GDL, [PERSON] et al. [13] developed an auxiliary fishbone flow field model inspired by the fishbone. The simulation results of the three-dimensional model show that the uniformity of the new flow field and the saturation distribution of the uniformity in the reactant were better than that of the straight channel. [PERSON] et al.