It is common to use bolts and nuts in the process of a PEM fuel cell assembly. Applying clamping torque on these bolts and nuts affects the uniformity of the contact pressure between the PEM fuel cell components. As a result, the clamping torque will affect the fuel cell performance. Therefore, it is important to estimate the optimum clamping torque that should be applied to get on the optimum performance.
I think estimating the clamping torque really difficult. But you could find the optimum value that effects the PEM fuel cell performance with experimental analyses easly. I have a study about effect of clambing torque on PEM fuel cell performance. Approximately 12Nm torque value shows best performance in my study. lower torque values causes an increase of the internal contact resistance, higher torque value affects the GDL porosity. Both decreases the PEMFC performance.
Hello Mr. Aimen Zeiny,
I'd like to refer you to these references as a starting point, the authors discuss some effects of clamping torque of fuel cells and the scale up of production of MEAs.
I think it will be very useful to you.
Best regards.
Roberto
Article Study of PEM fuel cell performance by electrochemical impeda...
Article Fabrication of High Precision PEMFC Membrane Electrode Assem...
Thank you Hüseyin Kahraman... In experimental side, what is the initial clamping torque that you have to begin with it in the experiment? Should I begin with, for example, 1 N.m? Or with 0.25 N.m? Or 5 N.m? what is the value of the increment of the clamping torque that I have to apply every time? Therefore, I think it is important to estimate the optimal clamping torque at the beginning and the we can do the validation. Also, the experimental method is very consuming to time, as you know.
The clamping force less than 4Nm causes leak out the reaktant gases. Leaking out is our lower limit. Especially if your operating pressure higher than 1 bar, you have to increase the initial clamping force. Increment value is the minimum value of the change can be seen on the polarization curve of the cell when applied. My value was 4Nm (4-8-12-16-20Nm). If u could estimate the optimum value, I would like to know..
Hi Hüseyin Kahraman...There are some PEM fuel cells work with less than 1 Nm clamping torque correctly. The optimum clamping torque depends on many factors: physical properties of the cell's components, design and the bolts and nuts diameter, material and number. I refer you to the book entitled' PEM fuel cells Modeling and Simulation using MATLAB' by Colleen Spiegel. See chapter 12.
Regards
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Organizational Psychology
- Training