Content uploaded by Xiao-Dong Wang
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Xiao-Dong Wang on Jan 06, 2024
Content may be subject to copyright.
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
Available online 20 December 2023
2590-1745/© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc-nd/4.0/).
Study on the effect of static magnetic eld strength and arrangement on the
working performance of PEMFC with different ow elds
Jing Zhang
a
,
*
, Jingxing Feng
a
, Zhenyu Wang
a
, Yu Wu
a
, Shanwu Lu
a
, Xiangzhong Kong
a
,
Taiming Huang
a
, Zheng Wang
a
, Xiaodong Wang
b
, Zhongmin Wan
a
,
*
a
College of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yueyang 414006, China
b
Research Center of Engineering Thermophysics, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
ARTICLE INFO
Keywords:
PEMFC
Static magnetic eld strength and arrangement
Flow eld
Operating performance
ABSTRACT
This study explores the impact of magnetic elds on the operation and performance of proton exchange mem-
brane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with various ow elds. Different positions and intensities of magnetic elds were
applied to investigate their effects. The performance of PEMFCs with different ow elds was then tested under
different magnetic eld strengths and arrangements. The experimental results demonstrate that, under the same
conditions, the power density of the PEMFCs increases when subjected to magnetic elds of varying strengths
(180mT, 220mT, and 260mT) compared to no magnetic eld. Furthermore, the maximum power density of the
cells increases with higher applied magnetic eld strengths. The experiments also compared the performance of
the fuel cell’s cathode, anode, and bipolar operations with magnetic eld arrangements in different ow elds.
The results reveal that the performance enhancement of the fuel cell with magnetic eld arrangement in the
cathode is greater than that with magnetic eld arrangement in the anode and bipolar. Specically, when a
magnetic eld of 260mT is loaded onto the cathode for fuel cells with parallel, wave, and M−type ow elds, the
maximum power density (MPD) increases by 55%, 23.9%, and 23.22%, respectively. In conclusion, the utili-
zation of magnetic elds can enhance the performance of PEMFCs under operating conditions.
Introduction
There is a huge quantity of energy needs/demands for multiple
developmental and domestic activities in the modern era. And in this
context, consumption of more non-renewable energy is reported and
created many problems or issues (availability of fossil fuel stocks in the
future period, causes a huge quantity of toxic gases or particles or cli-
matic change effects) at the global level [1]. Hydrogen, a clean energy
carrier, is the most abundant chemical element in the universe, ac-
counting for 75 % of normal matter by mass and over 90 % by number of
atoms. When hydrogen gas is oxidized electrochemically in a fuel cell
system, it generates pure water as a by-product, emitting no carbon
dioxide [2]. As a fuel cell technology vigorously developed and pro-
moted worldwide in the 21st century, through an electrochemical pro-
cess, the fuel’s chemical energy is instantly transformed into electric
power. Water is the principal end product of the chemical process, which
considerably reduces pollution. In the meantime, since the trans-
formation of energy is not constrained by the principle of Carnot, the
rate of energy consumption may also be greatly increased, reaching 40
% to 80 %.[3] Therefore, a clean and efcient fuel cell is not only one of
the most effective ways to solve the environmental pollution caused by
fossil fuels but also can alleviate humankind’s increasingly tense energy
crisis. The PEMFC has a wide range of commercial application prospects
due to its simple structure, easy portability, and quick start-up[4].
Because of the application of fuel cells, the factors affecting its perfor-
mance improvement are widely concerned. As an efcient energy con-
verter, the PEMFC is developed various applications, including portable
applications, transportation, stationary power generation, unmanned
underwater vehicles, and air independent pro-pulsion.
PEMFC is a complex system consisting of different components that
can be inuenced by many factors, such as material properties, geo-
metric designs operating conditions, and control strategies. The inter-
action between components and subsystems could affect the
performance, durability, and lifespan of PEMFC system. To design a high
performance, it is essential to design PEMFC with high performance,
long life and high durability. In order to boost PEMFC’s electrical power
* Corresponding authors.
E-mail addresses: zhangjing819@hnu.edu.cn (J. Zhang), zhongminwan@hotmail.com (Z. Wan).
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Energy Conversion and Management: X
journal homepage: www.sciencedirect.com/journal/energy-conversion-and-management-x
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2023.100517
Received 15 September 2023; Received in revised form 28 November 2023; Accepted 17 December 2023
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
2
generation and power production efciency, several tests and studies
have been conducted recently, such as modifying electrode materials
[5], improving cell structure, control algorithmand, applying physical
elds [6–8]. X. Chen et al.studied that aiming at improving the tem-
perature distribution and cooling capacity of PEMFC, a novel tree-
shaped fractal fuel cell bipolar plate cooling ow eld is proposed.
This novel cooling ow eld design offers an excellent solution to solve
the local overheating of PEMFC [5]. H. Ashraf et al had shown that
synergy of neuro-fuzzy controller and tuna swarm algorithm for maxi-
mizing the overall efciency of PEM fuel cells stack including dynamic
performance [6]. C. Deutsch et al used three power proles to evaluate
nite-state machine, fuzzy logic and two optimization-based EMS. The
results reveal that there is a trade-off between the objectives. The ri-
gidity of the EMS determines its load-following behavior and conse-
quently the performance regarding the objectives[7]. The application of
magnetic elds in PEMFC has recently received increasing attention
[8,9]. Ahmed et al. had shown that even a relatively low magnetic eld
strength of 16-26mT can improve cell performance by 10 % by sur-
rounding a coil in the cell to generate an electromagnetic eld[10]. H.
Matsushima et al. noticed that the orientation of the magnetic eld af-
fects whether a cell performs better or worse and that at greater current
densities, oxygen mass transfer is diffusion-restricted. As opposed to
catalysis, the magnetic eld inuences how oxygen molecules are
dispersed[11]. K.Ruksawong et al. discovered that in a static magnetic
eld of 100-500mT, the cathode side of the PEMFC is where the mag-
netic eld has a substantial impact on the internal temperature and
relative humidity[12]. To investigate how the microbial fuel cell(MFC)
produces energy when subjected to a magnetic eld, Y. Yin et al. put the
device in a static magnetic eld. The ndings of the experiment
demonstrated that the magnetic eld might reduce MFC’s startup time
[13]. Q.Q.Tao et al.examined how microbial fuel cells cleanse waste-
water and produce electricity in response to magnetic elds. A low-
strength static magnetic eld may be utilized to boost the power-
generating capacity[14–16]. J.C.Shi et al. examined the zinc-air fuel
cell’s ejection performance, utilizing magnetic and non-magnetic strips
with magnetic particles as the cathode The oxygen diffusion value and
transfer rate both rose by 10.2 % and 52.38 % from a magnetic eld
intensity of 0mT to 5mT, respectively[17,18]. L.Wang and J.H.Zeng
et al. proposed introducing magnetic materials into the cathode catalyst
layer to establish a micro-magnetic eld, thus achieving oxygen
enrichment, signicantly increasing the local concentration indicated by
PT catalyst, reducing polarization, and improving cell performance
[19,20]. W. Lee et al. studied that the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)
performance improvement of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells
(PEMFCs) is investigated using a low magnetic eld density. the
mechanism of the performance improvement of MF-PEMFC was
revealed, and a strategy to maximize its performance was proposed[21].
The majority of the research mentioned above has investigated how
static magnetic elds affect PEMFC performance. In this paper, the
PEMFC is placed in magnetic elds with varying ow elds. Research is
being done to determine how different magnetic eld designs and in-
tensities impact the fuel cells ’performance within diverse ow elds.
The current work investigates the inuence of magnetic elds on
PEMFCs with different ow elds. To ensure that the reaction gas is
evenly distributed across the electrode before it traverses the diffusion
region and into a catalyst layer in order to participate in the electro-
chemical response, the ow eld performs an essential role in a PEMFC.
The movement, distribution, and diffusion of reactants and products
inside the cell are signicantly inuenced by the geometry and cong-
uration of the ow eld[22,23]. The ow eld design directly affects
how well the cell can function. The directed ow eld, the net ow eld,
the horizontal ow eld, and the serpentine ow eld are examples of
common ow elds. The porosity, size, and geometric form of the ow
eld must all be considered during design. Along with the resistance that
exists between the bipolar plate and electrode, these elements also have
an impact on mass transfer and drainage[24]. Additionally, the
application environment, work state, electrode and ow eld resistance,
gas distribution, ow velocity, pressure, and cell pressure drop should
all be taken into account.
This study seeks to enhance the performance of various ow eld
fuel cells through the utilization of relative magnetic eld densities
under identical operating conditions. By varying the magnetic eld
strength and employing different loading magnetic eld arrangements,
the power density and current density of a single cell were measured
under specic continuous conditions. This allowed for a comparison of
the performance of different ow eld PEMFCs using magnetic elds.
The test results unveiled the mechanism behind the improved perfor-
mance of different ow eld PEMFC in the presence of magnetic elds.
Furthermore, the study identied the optimal magnetic eld arrange-
ment for PEMFC to achieve maximum performance. Limited research
has been conducted on the performance of different ow eld fuel cells
under the inuence of magnetism. Therefore, the ndings presented in
this study have the potential to pave the way for a more efcient system
in the realm of ow eld fuel cells with diverse structures.
Experimental
Conguration and operation
Fig. 1 depicts the G60 fuel cell test platform, which was created by
the Canadian company GreenLight. It is a research tool for PEMFC
voltage, current, temperature, and relative humidity measurements in a
static magnetic eld and includes a gas storage system, pipeline system,
heating system, humidication system, control system, thermal insu-
lation system, safety alarm system, etc.
Fig. 2 shows three ow eld structures of a parallel, wave and
M−shape, are selected in the experiment. The effective area of the
carbon paper diffusion layer with PT catalyst in single-cell is 25 cm
2
.
The experimental setup involved the utilization of NdFeB permanent
magnets to generate the magnetic eld. The magnetic structure consti-
tuted several rectangular permanent magnets, as depicted in Fig. 3, with
dimensions measuring 65 mm ×44 mm ×10 mm. These magnets were
positioned in the pole plate region on both sides of the PEMFC. By
altering the number of permanent magnets, the magnetic eld strength
could be adjusted accordingly. The surface of the fuel cell end plate was
subjected to three different magnetic eld strengths, namely 180mT,
220mT, and 260mT, as measured using a Gauss meter. To ensure the
preservation of the magnetic eld density, the maximum allowable
temperature for the magnets was set at 120℃ to prevent any reduction
caused by heat transfer. The orientation of the magnetic eld was
aligned with the diffusion of oxygen, following the observations made
by Abdel-Rehim[10].
Experimental procedures
Before the experiment, to guarantee the safety of the experiment, the
single cell needs to be examined rst, after which we connect the single
cell to the fuel cell test platform G60. Before starting testing:
•Purge the residual gas inside the fuel cell with protective gas
nitrogen.
•Set the nitrogen ow rate to 2 L/min.
•Keep the time for 3 min to ensure no residual gas and liquid water
inside.
Next, the cells preheat, and both the intake air ow rate and the
internal relative humidity of the cells are predetermined. When the
temperature has stabilized, we set the appropriate cell current and
voltage and record the data after the temperature has reached the set
value and the cell operation is stable. In the experiment, the ambient
temperature is controlled at about 25 ◦C; the humidity is 75 %; the
purity of hydrogen is 99.999 %; the stoichiometric ow ratio is 1.5 for
J. Zhang et al.
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
3
Fig. 1. (a)G60schematic diagram; (b)G60 test platform;(c)Assembled single cell.
Fig. 2. Single cell with different ow eld structures.
J. Zhang et al.
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
4
hydrogen and 2.5 for oxygen; the inside temperature of the PEMFC is
xed at 60 ◦C, and the moisture content is 100 %. The intake temper-
atures of the cathode and anode are 50 ◦C and humidied. This study
examines and validates the efciency of the magnetic effect by utilizing
polarization and power curves and contrasting a single cell’s perfor-
mance with and without a magnetic eld.
Results and discussion
Magnetic eld affects cell polarization
When the fuel cell operates and outputs electrical energy, the rela-
tionship between the output power and the consumption of reactants
obeys Faraday’s law. The fuel cell voltage drops from the static potential
E
s
to V when the current density is zero (i =0). Polarization is the term
used to describe the distinction between the voltage V and the static
voltage Es when the fuel cell is operating, which indicates the magnitude
of energy loss when the cell changes from the static state to the operating
state, so polarization should be reduced to reduce energy loss.
In the given experimental settings, the load was carefully regulated
within the range of 0 to the maximum permissible power output of 20 W.
Fig. 4 illustrates the polarization curves and power curves of the PEMFC,
both with and without the presence of a magnetic eld. Notably, the
voltage and power densities observed in the PEMFC with the magnetic
eld exhibit considerably higher values than those observed in the
conventional PEMFC. This disparity is particularly pronounced at
elevated current densities, where the utilization of a magnetic eld
yields a signicant enhancement in performance. It is worth high-
lighting that the PEMFC with the magnetic eld exhibits a maximum
increase in power density of approximately 25 % when compared to the
conventional PEMFC.
The rst region represents the loss of active polarization caused by
electrochemical reactions. Similar to general chemical reactions, elec-
trochemical reactions must overcome an energy barrier known as acti-
vation energy (the difference in energy between the activation complex
and the reactants), i.e., activation overpotential. At low current density,
the initial decrease in the magnetic curve in the activation loss region is
reduced, indicating a decrease in the activation loss of the cell when
exposed to a magnetic eld. The second region, characterized by a rapid
initial voltage drop, is attributed to ohmic polarization, primarily caused
by the resistive conductivity of ions in the electrolyte or electrons in the
electrode. The main sources of ohmic polarization include the resistance
of fuel cell components, the ionic conductivity resistance of the elec-
trolyte, and the contact resistance between components. In the high
current density region, which also falls under the ohmic loss region, the
difference in ohmic loss between the magnetic curve and the non-
magnetic curve becomes more pronounced, indicating a smaller ohmic
loss when a magnetic effect is applied. Due to the relatively low output
Fig. 3. The way permanent magnets are loaded with different magnetic eld strengths.
Fig. 4. Characteristic curve of single cell under the inuence of magnetic eld.
J. Zhang et al.
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
5
voltage and high output current of fuel cells, even a small resistance can
result in a signicant voltage drop, thereby reducing the performance of
the fuel cell. The magnetic effect can effectively reduce the voltage drop
in the ohmic loss region. The third region is characterized by a rapid
voltage drop at higher currents. Both migration and pure chemical en-
ergy can cause changes in the concentration of reactants or products
participating in electrochemical reactions in the electrode reaction re-
gion, resulting in a change in electrode potential, i.e., concentration
polarization. Therefore, concentration polarization mainly occurs dur-
ing mass transfer processes.
To investigate the impact of gradient static magnetic elds on the
performance of PEMFC under controlled experimental conditions as
outlined in subsection 2.2, varying magnetic eld strengths were
applied to the same position of the PEMFC. The resulting power densities
were then measured and compared. Additionally, the experiments
revealed that the effect of different magnetic eld arrangements on
PEMFC performance varied. To validate this nding, the same magnetic
eld was applied separately to both bipolar, the cathode, and the anode
of a single cell. Power density values within the current density range of
1–1.6 A/cm
2
were selected, and average power densities were calcu-
lated for comparison.
Magnetic eld effects on PEMFC performance in parallel, wavy and m-
shaped ow elds
That uid ows uniformly into every straighter conduit and out via
the exit in a parallel ow eld design. In the parallel ow eld, the total
pressure drop between the gas intake and the gas exit is lower, which has
a simpler construction and a big advantage. However, when the width of
the ow eld isn’t particularly uniform, the uid in every channel may
be uneven, causing water accumulation in some areas of the channel,
resulting in an increase in mass transportation expenses and an associ-
ated reduction in current density[25,26].
The single cell’s performance improves with increasing magnetic
eld strength, as shown in Fig. 5(a)(b)(c), using the 0mT cell operating
data as a reference. The magnetic eld strength can alter the PEMFC’s
output power. In Fig. 5(a), the MPD increases from 0.3816 W/cm
2
to
0.5652 W/cm
2
, an increase of 48.1 %.In Fig. 5(b) and (c), the MPD is
Fig. 5. (a)(b)(c) Power curves of single cell with parallel ow eld loaded with different eld strengths and arrangements;(d)MPD of single cell with different
magnetic eld strength.
J. Zhang et al.
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
6
respectively improved to 0.5922 W/cm
2
and 0.6244 W/cm
2
, and the
improvement is more than 55 %.In Fig. 5(d), the single cell’s MPD rises
as the eld strength loaded at its bipolar, anode, and cathode rises, with
the highest MPD achieved by applying a 260mT eld strength at the
cathode of the single cell.
In Fig. 6(a)(b)(c), when the same magnetic eld intensity is exter-
nally provided to each electrode of the single cell, the MPD is greater
than it would be without the magnetic eld strength. The highest power
density is incrementally enhanced by progressively applying the same
magnetic eld intensity to the single cell’s bipolar, anode, and cathode
electrodes. In Fig. 6(d), taking the single cell at the magnetic eld
strength of 0 mT as a reference, the average power density(APD) of the
single cell with each electrode loaded with the same eld strength
externally in the current density interval of 1–1.6 A/cm
2
, will have a
corresponding increase in magnitude. When the cell’s bipolar, anode,
and cathode are externally loaded with 180mT of magnetic eld
strength, the APD of a single cell increases to 28.59 %, 35.97 %, and
46.36 %; When the cell’s bipolar, anode, and cathode are externally
loaded with a magnetic eld of 220mT, the APD of the single cell in-
creases to 40.19 %, 48.13 %, and 56.45 %; The APD of the single cell is
increased to 52.27 %, 59.51 %, and 66.75 %, respectively, by the 260mT
external loading magnetic elds of the bipolar, anode, and cathode. In
Fig. 6(d), it is clear that placing a magnetic eld at the cathode of a
single cell, followed by the anode, improves PEMFC performance the
most, whereas placing a magnetic eld at a bipolar cell has a less sig-
nicant impact.
Comparing the wavy ow eld structure to the parallel ow eld
framework, the former offers better water management capabilities and
current stability, which has one end linked to the intake and the other to
the outow. It has been discovered that a better fuel cell construction
might increase the PEMFC’s output power by enhancing the conduction
of heat impact, reactant gas transit through the permeable layer, and
thermal uniformity[27,28].
The examination of Fig. 7(a)(b)(c) shows that the aforementioned
Fig. 6. (a)(b)(c)The power curve of single cell with loading the same eld intensity at different positions;(d)APD enhancement rate of the same magnetic eld
relative to 0mT at 1–1.6A/cm
2
single cell.
J. Zhang et al.
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
7
three groups of studies may demonstrate that the magnetic eld can
have an impact on the PEMFC’s output power using the operating data
of a single cell with a 0mT eld strength as a reference. The PEMFC’s
performance signicantly improves with increasing magnetic eld in-
tensity. In Fig. 7(a), the MPD is enhanced by 9.13 % from 0.541 W/cm
2
to 0.5904 W/cm
2
. Fig. 7(b) shows an increase of 16.8 % in MPD to
0.6324 W/cm
2
. Fig. 7(c) shows a 23.9 % increase in MPD to 0.6706 W/
cm
2
. In Fig. 7(d),The single cell’s MPD rises as the eld intensity loaded
at its bipolar, anode, and cathode rises; the single cell’s MPD is highest
when 260mT of eld strength is applied at its cathode.
In Fig. 8(a)(b)(c), when each electrode is subjected to the same
external magnetic eld strength, the single cell’s MPD is bigger than that
of the single cell without the magnetic eld intensity. The MPD achieved
by loading the same magnetic eld strength at the bipolar, anode, and
cathode electrodes of the single cell is increased sequentially. In Fig. 8
(d), taking the single cell at the magnetic eld strength of 0mT as a
reference, the APD of a single cell with each electrode loaded with the
same eld strength externally in the current density interval of 1–1.6 A/
cm
2
, will have a corresponding increase in magnitude.When the cell’s
bipolar, anode, and cathode are externally loaded with 180mT of
magnetic eld strength, the APD of a single cell increases to 6.11 %,
12.20 %, and 16.29 %; when the cell’s bipolar, anode, and cathode are
externally loaded with 220mT of magnetic eld strength, the APD of a
single cell increases to9.10 %, 18.54 %, and 23.44 %; when the cell’s
bipolar, anode, and cathode are externally loaded with 260mT of
magnetic eld strength, the APD of a single cell increases to 15.30 %,
26.57 %, and 33.08 %. In Fig. 8(d), the magnetic eld arrangement at
the single cell’s cathode has the most remarkable improvement on the
PEMFC performance, followed by the anode, and the magnetic eld
arrangement at the bipolar is poor.
Since liquid water will be formed at the anode, PEMFC requires a
ow eld with high drainage capacity. In a parallel ow eld, the
problem may be that water, reaction impurities (such as chlorine), and
other contaminants may accumulate in a local channel and are unable to
Fig. 7. (a)(b)(c) Power curves of single cell with wave type ow eld load with different eld strengths and arrangements;(d)MPD of single cell with different
magnetic eld strength.
J. Zhang et al.
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
8
be discharged, causing the reaction gas to bypass, resulting in no supply
of reactants in a specic electrode area. The M−type ow eld’s primary
objective is to reduce the ow channel’s sizer to improve mass move-
ment along the ow channel[29–31]. It is characterized in that a large
ow eld is divided into three small ow elds, two high ow elds, and
one low ow eld, and that whole ow eld is in an M−shape.
In Fig. 9, the single cell’s bipolar, anode, and cathode are all placed
in a reference magnetic eld of 0mT. The magnetic eld strength may
have an impact on the PEMFC’s ability to output power, and as the
magnetic eld strength increases, the single cell’s efciency increases. In
Fig. 9(a), the MPD of a single cell is 0.5352 W/cm
2
, which is increased
by 10.3 % when the bipolar loading magnetic eld intensity is 260mT. In
Fig. 9(b), When the anode’s magnetic eld intensity is increased from
0mT to 260mT, the single cell’s MPD rises by 18.3 %, from 0.4848 W/
cm
2
to 0.5738 W/cm
2
. In Fig. 9(c), The MPD is improved by 23.22 % to
0.5974 W/cm
2
when a 260mT magnetic eld is supplied to a single cell’s
cathode. According to Fig. 9(d), the single cell’s MPD rises as the
amount of eld strength loaded across its bipolar, anode, and cathode
increases. The single cell’s cathode receives 260mT of eld strength to
obtain the greatest possible MPD.
In Fig. 10(a)(b)(c), the single cell’s MPD with the same magnetic
eld strength loaded externally to each electrode is greater than the
MPD of a single cell without the magnetic eld intensity. The MPD ob-
tained by progressively applying the same magnetic eld intensity to the
bipolar, anode, and cathode electrodes of a single cell is enhanced. In
Fig. 10(d), using the single cell at 0mT as a reference, the APD of the
single cell with each electrode externally loaded with the same eld
strength in the current density interval of 1–1.6 A/cm
2
will grow in
magnitude. When the cell’s bipolar, anode, and cathode are externally
loaded with 180mT of magnetic eld strength, the APD of a single cell
increases to 5.78 %, 13.41 %, and 15.42 %; When the cell’s bipolar,
anode, and cathode are externally loaded with 220mT of magnetic eld
Fig. 8. (a)(b)(c)Power curve of single cell with loading the same eld intensity at different positions;(d)APD enhancement rate of the same magnetic eld strength
relative to 0mT at 1–1.6A/cm
2
single cell.
J. Zhang et al.
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
9
strength, the APD of a single cell increases to 9.33 %, 17.46 %, and
21.58 %; When the cell’s bipolar, anode,and cathode are externally
loaded with 260mT of magnetic eld strength, the APD of a single cell
increases to 13.82 %, 21.63 %, and 26.19 %. According to Fig. 10(d),
when exposed to the same magnetic eld strength, the cathode of a
single cell, followed by the anode and the bipolar, has the least effect on
the performance of the cell.
Analysis and discussion
Through experimental study and data analysis, the following dis-
cussion can be made:
(1) The magnetic eld strength positively correlates with the cell’s
performance. An investigation of the characteristic curve of the cell
shows that the PEMFC’s performance, the MPD, and the APD will all
increase with the magnetic eld intensity in the area of high current
density. In the investigation, the performance of the cell stays positively
connected with the magnetic eld’s intensity even when the magnetic
eld has been placed at different places within the PEMFC with various
ow elds. The magnetic eld operates on the internal reactants of
water and oxygen in PEMFC. The timely discharge of water and the
speed of the diffusion of oxygen determine the performance of PEMFC to
a large extent. Water is a diamagnetic uid. When it ows through an
external magnetic eld, its microscopic molecular structure and ther-
modynamic properties will change, such as reducing surface tension,
increasing thermal conductivity, increasing transmission speed, weak-
ening hydrogen bonds, and increasing evaporation speed[32–34]. In
addition, corresponding to the magnetic impact of gas movement, in the
vicinity of the escalating magnetic eld gradient, paramagnetic oxygen
travels, and diamagnetic hydrogen moves in the direction of the
decreased magnetic eld gradient. The magnetic force on oxygen is
noticeably stronger than that on hydrogen when comparing positions in
Fig. 9. (a)(b)(c) Power curves of single cell with M−type ow eld loaded with different eld strengths and arrangements;(d)MPD of single cell with different
magnetic eld strength.
J. Zhang et al.
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
10
the static magnetic eld[35].
The application of varying magnetic eld strengths to different lo-
cations within the fuel cell results in an increased rate of magnetic force
and oxygen diffusion. Consequently, the performance of the fuel cell is
enhanced to varying extents. Notably, when the magnetic elds are
applied to the cathode, where oxygen is supplied, the rate of magnetic
force and oxygen diffusion is superior compared to when the elds are
applied to the anode and bipolar. Hence, to optimize the performance of
the fuel cell, it is advisable to apply different strengths of magnetic elds
specically to the cathode.
(2) Different magnetic eld arrangement has a noticeable difference
in the cell’s performance.
Because the cathode and anode of a PEMFC produce different
chemical reactions, the magnetic eld’s inuence on the electro-
chemical reactions at both of the electrodes differs. The cell’s perfor-
mance improves the most when the magnetic eld is positioned at the
cathode. When the magnetic eld is organized on the cathode part of the
fuel cell, the most substantial enhancement to cell performance is pro-
duced, followed by the second when it is arranged at the anode, and less
effective than the rst two when it is arranged at both poles. The reac-
tion of the cathode is always among the essential aspects inuencing the
cell’s performance in PEMFC. The magnetic eld may encourage para-
magnetic oxygen mass transfer, improve oxygen molecule concentration
at the catalytic interface, and increase static mass transfer[36]. The
tension on the water’s surface is decreased by the magnetic effect, and
the water moves faster thanks to the magnetic eld’s acting force. The
magnetic force acts on the uid water in the cell to push it there since the
cathode portion of the cell has a greater magnetic eld than the anode
side. This ow condition of the uid water minimizes the water satu-
ration at the boundary separating the catalytic surface and the diffusion
coating because there are more oxygen transmission channels accessible
in the catalytic reaction zone and less polarization.
In addition to its effect on hydrogen when the magnetic eld is
placed at the anode, the magnetic eld may also promote catalysis. The
catalyst’s overall performance may be signicantly improved by
combining the magnetic eld effect with the electrochemical system.
The impact of the magnetic eld applied to the anode, however, is
smaller than that of the magnetic eld placed at the cathode since the
anode merely goes through an oxidation process. In a bipolar arrange-
ment of the magnetic eld, with parallel permanent magnets on both
edges of the cell, the reaction region in the cell under the magnetic eld
remains unaffected by only one pole, meaning that the magnetic eld
gradient at a location within the reaction area is disturbed by two poles
at the same point.
(3) Magnetic eld affects the performance of PEMFC with different
ow elds
Among the key elements of the PEMFC, the ow eld construction
has two primary functions: (1) supplying reaction gases and discharging
Fig. 10. (a)(b)(c)The power curve of single cell with M−type ow eld loaded the same eld intensity at different positions;(d)APD enhancement rate of the same
magnetic eld strength relative to 0mT at 1–1.6A/cm
2
single cell.
J. Zhang et al.
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
11
products; (2) collecting electric current created by the fuel cell. The ow
eld plate features several microscopic cuts that distribute the gas ow
throughout the whole fuel cell’s surface. The fuel cell’s performance is
signicantly inuenced by the shape and size of the ow eld grooves;
consequently, choosing an appropriate ow eld is very important for
PEMFC[37,38]. The PEMFC ow eld’s essential design depends on the
cathode side’s capacity to drain. The poor construction of the ow eld
structure will make certain locations saturated with liquid water,
thereby producing gas channel blockage and a cell performance decline.
The magnetic eld can further boost the output power of PEMFC based
on how the ow eld affects its operation.
Based on the aforementioned experimental data and Table 1, it be-
comes evident that the fuel cells’ maximum power density varies when
utilizing different ow elds, particularly in the absence of a magnetic
eld. This discrepancy can be attributed to the divergent structure of the
ow channels, resulting in varied enhancement effects under the inu-
ence of the magnetic eld. However, it is worth noting that when the
magnetic eld is applied to the cathode of the PEMFC with different ow
elds, a marked improvement in fuel cell performance is observed.
Conclusion
In this study, a series of examinations are done around the PEMFC
with three ow elds: parallel, wave type, and M-type ow elds, and
the static magnetic eld is added. All of the trials demonstrate how the
static magnetic eld may signicantly increase the fuel cell’s power.
One can draw the following conclusions:
(1) The performance of PEMFC is improved by static magnetic elds,
which may be assessed using the magnetization curve and power
curve of the fuel cell. The static magnetic eld loaded at various
magnetic eld strengths and positions in PEMFC with different
ow elds has a major impact on the nal properties of PEMFC.
By contrasting the outcomes with a single cell without a magnetic
eld, this is proven.
(2) According to experiments with various magnetic eld loading
strengths, a PEMFC’s performance is higher than that of a cell
without a magnetic eld when the cell’s bipolar, anode, and
cathode are loaded with magnetic eld strengths of 180, 220, and
260mT, respectively. As the loaded magnetic eld strength at
each fuel cell pole grew, so did the cell’s MPD. The MPD of the
cell is most signicantly increased when 260mT eld strength is
applied to the fuel cell cathode, and the MPD of parallel ow eld
PEMFC reaches 0.6244 W/cm
2
, an increase of 55 %; the MPD of
wave-type ow eld PEMFC is 0.6706 W/cm
2
, an increase of
23.9 %; the MPD of M−type ow eld PEMFC is 0.5974 W /cm
2
,
an improvement of 23.22 %.
(3) The bipolar, cathode, and anode of various ow eld PEMFCs had
been loaded with magnetic eld strengths of 180, 220, and
260mT in the current density ranging from 1 to 1.6 A/cm
2
in
experiments to conrm the effects caused by various magnetic
eld plans in the same magnetic eld strength. On the fuel cell’s
effectiveness, the effects of three distinct magnetic eld cong-
urations with the same magnetic eld strength are contrasted.
The cathode of the cell has a signicantly greater APD of the
loaded magnetic eld than the anode and bipolar.
(4) The results presented in this investigation illustrate that the
implementation of a magnetic eld on the PEMFC leads to ad-
vantageous results in relation to its functionality. Additionally,
forthcoming research endeavors can explore the potential ad-
vantages of integrating permanent magnets onto the surface of
the stack, which would enable a simplied and economically
viable design for commercial utilization. Lastly, it is crucial to
conduct extended stack testing in order to comprehensively
examine the enduring effects of the magnetic eld on improving
the performance of the PEMFC, especially in real-world stack
applications.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Jing Zhang: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – review &
editing, Funding acquisition. Jingxing Feng: Conceptualization,
Writing – review & editing. Zhenyu Wang: Conceptualization, Writing –
review & editing. Yu Wu: Data curation, Validation. Shanwu Lu:
Investigation, Supervision. Xiangzhong Kong: Investigation, Supervi-
sion. Taiming Huang: Investigation, Supervision. Zheng Wang:
Investigation, Supervision. Xiaodong Wang: Conceptualization, Meth-
odology, Funding acquisition, Supervision, Project administration.
Zhongmin Wan: Supervision, Project administration.
Declaration of competing interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing nancial
interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to inuence
the work reported in this paper.
Data availability
Data will be made available on request.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to express their gratitude to the National Natural
Science Foundation of China (Project No. 51976055, 52276184), the
National Key R&D Program of China (Project No. 2021YFB4001604),
the Key R&D Program Projects in Hunan Province (Project No.
2023GK2035), the science and technology innovation Program of
Hunan Province (2020RC4040), and Major Program of National Natural
Science Foundation of China (Project No. 52090062) for nancially
supporting this study.
References
[1] Srivastava RK, Boddula R, Pothu R. Microbial fuel cells: Technologically advanced
devices and approach for sustainable/renewable energy development. Energy
Conversion and Management: x 2022;13:100160.
[2] Fan L, Tu Z, Chan SH. Recent development of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies:
A review. Energy Rep 2021;7:8421–46.
[3] Sapkota P, Kim H. Zinc–air fuel cell, a potential candidate for alternative energy.
J Ind Eng Chem 2009:445–50.
[4] Han J, Feng J, Chen P, Liu Y, Peng X. A review of key components of hydrogen
recirculation subsystem for fuel cell vehicles. Energ Conver Manage 2022;X:
100265.
[5] Chen X, Chai F, Hu S, Tan J, Luo L, Xie H, et al. Design of PEMFC Bipolar Plate
Cooling Flow Field Based on Fractal Theory. Energ Conver Manage 2023;X:
100445.
[6] Ashraf H, Elkholy MM, Abdellatif SO, El-Fergany AA. Synergy of neuro-fuzzy
controller and tuna swarm algorithm for maximizing the overall efciency of PEM
fuel cells stack including dynamic performance. Energy Convers Manage: x 2022;
16:100301.
[7] Deutsch C, Chiche A, Bhat S, Lagergren C, Lindbergh G, Kuttenkeuler J. Evaluation
of energy management strategies for fuel cell/battery-powered underwater
vehicles against eld trial data. Energy Convers Manage: x 2022;14:100193.
[8] Wakayama NI. Effect of a gradient magnetic eld on the combustion reaction of
methane in air. Chem Phys Lett 1992;188:279–81.
Table 1
Maximum power density of fuel cell cathodes loaded with different magnetic
elds.
mT 0 180 220 260
MPD(W/cm
2
)
Parallel 0.3816 0.5448 0.5832 0.6244
M−type 0.4848 0.5432 0.5782 0.5974
Wave type 0.532 0.5964 0.63 0.6706
J. Zhang et al.
Energy Conversion and Management: X 21 (2024) 100517
12
[9] Wu W-F, Qu J, Zhang K, Chen W-P, Li B-W. Experimental Studies of Magnetic Effect
on Methane Laminar Combustion Characteristics. Combust Sci Technol 2015;188:
472–80.
[10] Abdel-Rehim AA. The inuence of electromagnetic eld on the performance and
operation of a PEM fuel cell stack subjected to a relatively low electromagnetic
eld intensity. Energ Conver Manage 2019;198.
[11] Ruksawong K, Songprakorp R, Monyakul V, David NA, Sui PC, Djilali N.
Investigation of PEMFC under Static Magnetic Field: Temperature, Relative
Humidity and Performance. J Electrochem Soc 2016;164:F1–8.
[12] Matsushima H, Iida T, Fukunaka Y, Bund A. PEMFC Performance in a Magnetic
Field. Fuel Cells 2008;8:33–6.
[13] Yin Y, Huang G, Tong Y, Liu Y, Zhang L. Electricity production and electrochemical
impedance modeling of microbial fuel cells under static magnetic eld. J Power
Sources 2013;237:58–63.
[14] Tomska A, Wolny L. Enhancement of biological wastewater treatment by magnetic
eld exposure. Desalination 2008;222:368–73.
[15] Tao Q, Zhou S. Effect of static magnetic eld on electricity production and
wastewater treatment in microbial fuel cells. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2014;98:
9879–87.
[16] Li WW, Sheng GP, Liu XW, Cai PJ, Sun M, Xiao X, et al. Impact of a static magnetic
eld on the electricity production of Shewanella-inoculated microbial fuel cells.
Biosens Bioelectron 2011;26:3987–92.
[17] Shi J, Xu H, Lu L, Sun X. Study of magnetic eld to promote oxygen transfer and its
application in zinc–air fuel cells. Electrochim Acta 2013;90:44–52.
[18] Neburchilov V, Wang H, Martin JJ, Qu W. A review on air cathodes for zinc–air
fuel cells. J Power Sources 2010;195:1271–91.
[19] Wang L, Wakayama NI, Okada T. Numerical simulation of a new water
management for PEM fuel cell using magnet particles deposited in the cathode side
catalyst layer. Electrochem Commun 2002;4:584–8.
[20] Zeng J, Liao S, Lee JY, Liang Z. Oxygen reduction reaction operated on
magnetically-modied PtFe/C electrocatalyst. Int J Hydrogen Energy 2010;35:
942–8.
[21] Lee W, Yang W, Kim Y. Performance characteristics of novel magnetic-eld applied
polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells under various operating conditions. Energ
Conver Manage 2022;268:116013.
[22] Yoon Y-G, Lee W-Y, Park G-G, Yang T-H, Kim C-S. Effects of channel congurations
of ow eld plates on the performance of a PEMFC. Electrochim Acta 2004;50:
709–12.
[23] Ferng Y-M, Su A, Lu S-M. Experiment and simulation investigations for effects of
ow channel patterns on the PEMFC performance. Int J Energy Res 2008;32:
12–23.
[24] Aiyejina A, Sastry MKS. PEMFC Flow Channel Geometry Optimization: A Review.
J Fuel Cell Sci Technol 2012;9.
[25] Lim BH, Majlan EH, Daud WRW, Rosli MI, Husaini T. Numerical analysis of
modied parallel ow eld designs for fuel cells. Int J Hydrogen Energy 2017;42:
9210–8.
[26] Shimpalee S, Vanzee J. Numerical studies on rib & channel dimension of ow-eld
on PEMFC performance. Int J Hydrogen Energy 2007;32:842–56.
[27] Han S-H, Choi N-H, Choi Y-D. Simulation and experimental analysis on the
performance of PEM fuel cell by the wave-like surface design at the cathode
channel. Int J Hydrogen Energy 2014;39:2628–38.
[28] Chen X, Yu Z, Yang C, Chen Y, Jin C, Ding Y, et al. Performance investigation on a
novel 3D wave ow channel design for PEMFC. Int J Hydrogen Energy 2021;46:
11127–39.
[29] Falcucci G, Jannelli E, Minutillo M, Ubertini S. Fluid Dynamic Investigation of
Channel Design in High Temperature PEM Fuel Cells. J Fuel Cell Sci Technol 2012;
9.
[30] Shimpalee S, Greenway S, Van Zee JW. The impact of channel path length on
PEMFC ow-eld design. J Power Sources 2006;160:398–406.
[31] Manso A, Marzo F, Barranco J, Garikano X, Mujika MG. Inuence of geometric
parameters of the ow elds on the performance of a PEM fuel cell. A review. Int J
Hydrogen Energy 2012;37:15256–87.
[32] Guo YZ, Yin DC, Cao HL, Shi JY, Zhang CY, Liu YM, et al. Evaporation rate of water
as a function of a magnetic eld and eld gradient. Int J Mol Sci 2012;13:
16916–28.
[33] Pang X-F, Deng B. The changes of macroscopic features and microscopic structures
of water under inuence of magnetic eld. Phys B Condens Matter 2008;403:
3571–7.
[34] Yi JS, Yang JD, King C. Water management along the ow channels of PEM fuel
cells. AIChE J 2004;50:2594–603.
[35] Cai J, Wang L, Wu P, Li Z, Tong L, Sun S. Study on oxygen enrichment from air by
application of the gradient magnetic eld. J Magn Magn Mater 2008;320:171–81.
[36] Bultel Y, Wiezell K, Jaouen F, Ozil P, Lindbergh G. Investigation of mass transport
in gas diffusion layer at the air cathode of a PEMFC. Electrochim Acta 2005;51:
474–88.
[37] Wang J, Wang H. Flow-Field Designs of Bipolar Plates in PEM Fuel Cells: Theory
and Applications. Fuel Cells 2012;12:989–1003.
[38] Vazifeshenas Y, Sedighi K, Shakeri M. Numerical investigation of a novel
compound ow-eld for PEMFC performance improvement. Int J Hydrogen Energy
2015;40:15032–9.
J. Zhang et al.
