Appropriate stamping conditions of metallic polar plate for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

• Main Authors: Wattanutchariya,W., Kiatsiriroat,T.
• Format: Article
• Published: Chiang Mai University 2015
• Subjects: Multidisciplinary
• Online Access: http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84872180633&origin=inward; http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/handle/6653943832/39002
• Institution: Chiang Mai University

In the present, the fuel cell is an alternative energy which can be renewable and environmental friendly. In general the fuel cell equipment is costly and bulky which obstruct the implementation of this device in automobiles and portable device industries. Therefore, various researchers have been investigating and developing many parts of the fuel cell assembly, such as the critical component-the polar plate, in order to reduce the arising issues. Accordingly this study aims to investigate an appropriate method of polar plate fabrication using a stamping technique. Then, an experimental design based on Central Composite Design (CCD) method is implemented to statistically evaluate the effect of stamping conditions: stamping pressure and dwell time on the performance of the stamped polar plate. The responses measured from the stamping process are based on plate curvature, depth and wrinkle. The specimen used for this research were 0.127 mm thick 316 SS with 40x40 mm. active area. The results show that appropriate stamping conditions are 79 kgf/cm2 and 6 second of dwell time. The responses at these conditions are 0.818 mm. channel depth with 1.539 mm. of plate curvature and 80% of wrinkle area. Then, the polar plates were installed in the fuel cell and the electrical test through polarization showed characteristics of the current density at 125.7 mA/cm2 and the power density at 67.63 mW/cm2.