Mechanisms of multiphase transfer in CFRFF-based PEM fuel cells

Elucidate the detailed mechanisms governing multiphase transfer in composite foam-rib flow fields (CFRFFs) within proton exchange membrane fuel cells, in order to clarify how these structures influence reactant transport and water management compared with conventional rib flow fields.

Background

The study motivates the CFRFF design as a means to modify gas flow dynamics and improve under-rib oxygen transfer and water removal relative to conventional rib flow fields (CRFFs). While the effects of gas diffusion layer thickness on CRFFs are well-studied, analogous understanding for CFRFFs is limited.

The authors note that, despite investigating the effect of GDL thickness on CFRFF performance via a 3D multiphase non-isothermal model, the detailed mechanisms underlying multiphase transfer in such flow fields remain unclear, indicating a broader unresolved question beyond the specific simulations presented.

References

While the effect of hGDL on CRFF design has been extensively investigated, there is a notable absence of research on the effect of hGDL on fuel cells with the CFRFF design, and the detailed mechanisms governing multiphase transfer in the flow field are still unclear.

— Effects of gas diffusion layer thickness on PEM fuel cells with composite foam-rib flow fields  (2604.01788 - Gao et al., 2 Apr 2026) in Section 1 (Introduction)