Performance analysis of a micro laminar flow fuel cell with multiple inlets of a bridge-shaped microchannel

A configuration of multiple inlets is proposed for a micro laminar flow fuel cell with a bridge-shaped channel cross section. The operation of the micro laminar flow fuel cell involves the complex interplay of electrochemical and mass transport processes. A fully coupled three-dimensional numerical model is developed to evaluate the micro laminar flow fuel cell performance. The numerical model solves the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes, mass transport, and Butler-Volmer equations for the electrode kinetics. A novel concept of multiple inlets is introduced to deal with the greater mass transport losses associated with the larger channel length. The numerical model is validated using experimental data from a micro laminar flow fuel cell with a bridge-shaped microchannel. Up to 8 inlets are tested with various bridge aspect ratios to observe the peak power and current density. The multi-inlet configurations enhance the current density by multiple times in comparison to a simple bi-inlet micro laminar flow fuel cell.