Study of assembly and design on mechanical- electrical fuel cell properties

The electrical resistance between the different components of fuel cell¡ related to the compressive stress between the various components is the fuel cell. In this study¡ two important goals pursued: first obtain the least stress on the gaskets for leakage will not happen and additional investigated the effect of stress distribution on gas diffusion layer on the amount of electrical resistance. To reach this goal¡ first designed experimental setup and achieved 2MPa minimum compressive stress on the gasket to prevent leakage. Then by another experimental setup effect of compressive stress on resistance value between the different parts have been investigated. Then according to experimental data¡ effect of clamping force on electrical resistance in simulation was investigated. Moreover effective parameters on pressure distribution on gas diffusion layer and electrical resistance was investigated. It was observed that the electrical resistance decreases by increasing clamping force. also observed pressure distribution in 4 bolt not uniform. By increasing bolt up to 8 the pressure uniformity was better than 4 bolt. But by increasing the number of bolt 8 to 12 significant changes not occurred.