Parameter study on Thermal Management Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with Bathtub-bulge turbulator Cooling Channels

Li Jiren; Gao Jianmin; Xu Liang; Xi Lei; Liang Feng; Zhou Yunlong; Ran Hongxin; Lin Hongwei; Yang Tao; Zhi Zelin

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Parameter study on Thermal Management Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with Bathtub-bulge turbulator Cooling Channels

更新时间：2026-08-11

- Parameter study on Thermal Management Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with Bathtub-bulge turbulator Cooling Channels
- JOURNAL OF XI’AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY (2026)
- 作者机构：
  
  1.西安交通大学机械学院，710049，陕西西安
  2.陕西省特种设备检验检测研究院，陕西西安 710048
  3.国家市场监督管理总局技术创新中心(终端用氢装备)，陕西西安 710049
- 作者简介：
- 基金信息：
- DOI：
  CLC： TK91
- Received：04 March 2026，
  
  Revised：2026-05-28，
  
  Accepted：30 July 2026，
- 稿件说明：
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Li Jiren, Gao Jianmin, Xu Liang, et al. Parameter study on Thermal Management Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with Bathtub-bulge turbulator Cooling Channels[J/OL]. JOURNAL OF XI’AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY, 2026.
DOI：

Li Jiren, Gao Jianmin, Xu Liang, et al. Parameter study on Thermal Management Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with Bathtub-bulge turbulator Cooling Channels[J/OL]. JOURNAL OF XI’AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY, 2026. DOI：

摘要

面向质子交换膜燃料电池的高效热管理需求，本研究基于浴缸型扰流结构，构建电化学热流全电池多物理场耦合模型，系统研究了扰流结构长度比

、间距比

和宽度比

对冷却流道传热性能

、流动阻力

及电池内部温度场均匀性Δ

的影响规律。研究表明，各结构参数通过调控流道内涡旋结构、二次流强度和边界层扰动影响燃料电池热管理性能，其中，

随

增加表现出先下降21.01%后上升13.91%的趋势，而

随

上升单调上升11.08%；

随

呈现先降12.96%后升12.21%的非单调变化，

随之波动幅度小于1.5%；

随

上升表现出先降10.84%后升4.62%的趋势，

随

上升而上升20.40%。各结构参数对燃料电池内部质子交换膜及催化层交界面Δ

影响趋势与

趋势一致。综合传热与流动阻力分析，当

位于0.3，

处于0.22、

位于0.1附近时为性能最优设计区间。本研究揭示了几何扰动强化传热与流动阻力之间的协同机制，可以为兼具高效热管理与低流动阻力的下一代燃料电池冷却流道设计提供数据和方法支撑。

Abstract

To satisfy the demand for efficient thermal management of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

this study integrates a previously developed bathtub-type turbulator structure into the cooling channels and establishes an electrochemical-thermal-fluid multi-physics full-cell coupling model. The effects of the turbulator length ratio

spacing ratio

and width ratio

on the cooling channel heat transfer performance

flow resistance

and tem

perature uniformity Δ

inside the fuel cell are systematically investigated. The results reveal that these structural parameters affect the thermal management performance by regulating the vortex structure

secondary flow intensity

and boundary layer disturbance within the channel. Specifically

increases

exhibits a non‑linear trend

which firstly decreases by 21.01% and then increases by 13.91%

while

monotonically increases by 11.08%. With increasing

first decreases by 12.96% and subsequently increases by 12.21%

whereas

fluctuates by less than 1.5%. As

increases

initially decreases by 10.84% then rises by 4.62%

while

increases by 20.40%. The influence of these structural parameters on Δ

at the interface between the proton exchange membrane and the catalyst layer follows the same trend as

. Based on a comprehensive analysis of heat transfer and flow resistance

the optimal design ranges are determined as follows:

= 0.3

≈ 0.22

and

= 0.1. This study reveals the synergistic mechanism between geometrically induced heat transfer enhancement and flow resistance

providing a quantitative basis for the design of next‑generation fuel cell cooling channels that achieve both efficient thermal management and low flow resistance.

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Keywords

references

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