Experimental investigation on thermal management of fuel cell by integrating phase change material in the cavities of the fin-based cooling plate

ABSTRACT

This current research proposes a novel method for a Fuel Cell Thermal Management System (FTMS) by Integrating Phase Change Material (PCM) in the Cavities of the Fin-Based Cooling Plate. Stearyl alcohol is proposed as a PCM, which has a suitable melting temperature (56°C to 59°C) and reasonably a high phase change enthalpy (260 J/g) for managing the thermal load of a fuel cell. The experimental investigation has been performed at different power densities (0.25 to 0.50 W/cm²) for different modes [cooling plate with fin (Mode 1), cooling plate with fin and PCM (mode 2), cooling plate with fin & fan (mode 3) and cooling plate with fin, fan & PCM (mode 4)]. The experimental results show that under mode 1, the FTMS can be operated without any cooling techniques till 0.25 W/cm². In Mode 2, FTMS has the potential to handle a 20% higher thermal load (0.30 W/cm²) as compared to mode 1 by maintaining the cooler plate temperature below 60°C. This result implies that the utilization of PCM aids in achieving better thermal management performance. Mode 3 delivered better performance than mode 1 and mode 2 for all the power densities. It is revealed that FTMS operated under mode 4 showed improved thermal management performance as compared to mode 3 in all power densities. These results imply that integrating fan cooling with passing cooling techniques helps us to achieve enhanced thermal management performance. Further, under mode 3, the cooler plate almost reaches a safe operating temperature at 0.45 W/cm² power density. On the other hand, under mode 4, the temperature of the cooling plate can be contained well below 60°C at 0.45 W/cm². In addition, under mode 4, the FTMS held the desired temperature for an 86% longer duration as compared to mode 3 at 0.50 W/cm². Based on the above results, it is concluded that the proposed cooling plate can deliver enhanced thermal management performance by utilizing a lower mass of PCM, and it will be beneficial for applications.

KEYWORDS:

• Stearyl alcohol
• passive thermal management
• fuel cell
• phase change material
• PEM

Acknowledgements

We thank the Sophisticated Instrument Facility (SIF), National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, for providing access to the facility.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

 We thank the Sophisticated Instrument Facility (SIF), National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, for providing access to the facility. [NITT/CoEHST/10-16].

Notes on contributors

R. Ram Kumar

Dr. R. Ram Kumar is an Assistant professor at the Department of Automobile Engineering, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu - 641004

S. Suresh

Dr. Suresh Sivan is a Professor at Nanotechnology Research Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli - 620015

T. Suthakar

Dr. T. Sudhakar is a Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli - 620015

Solaimalai Raja R

Mr. Solaimalai Raja R is a Doctoral Student at the Nanotechnology Research Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli - 620015

Srinivasan L

Mr. Srinivasan L is a B.Tech student at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli - 620015