Experimental study on current density distribution characteristics in a novel oxygen recirculation system of dead-ended proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Dead-ended proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) using pure hydrogen and oxygen can improve fuel efficiency and cell performance, making them widely applicable in enclosed spaces. However, dead-ended PEMFCs are prone to flooding, which reduces cell performance and service life. To address this issue, an oxygen recirculation system utilizing oscillating flow generated by pressure differences is designed in this study. This system not only achieves close to 100% fuel utilization but also optimizes water management and enhances current density uniformity. The optimal oxygen cycling conditions were selected based on current density uniformity and cell performance enhancement. The results show that a larger pressure difference amplitude improves water removal from the cell; however, excessively large pressure differences can lead to unstable cell operation. The oscillating flow generated by pressure differences significantly improved current density uniformity, particularly at higher output load currents. Current density uniformity improved by 16.29% at a current of 75 A. The experiment demonstrates that the best current density uniformity is achieved when managing water using a pressure difference at 4-minute intervals, as longer or shorter oscillation intervals are unsuitable for dead-ended performance.