Two-phase flow pressure drop in flow channels of proton exchange membrane fuel cells: Review of experimental approaches

Water management in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells has stimulated an extensive research on different aspects of water transport phenomena. As a PEM fuel cell operates, power is produced with water and heat as inevitable byproducts. The water produced during the operation of a PEM fuel cell results in a liquid–gas two-phase flow in flow channels. A successful PEM fuel cell design requires a comprehensive knowledge about different properties of liquid–gas two-phase flow. One such property, that has a dominant impact on the performance of a PEM fuel cell, is the two-phase flow pressure drop within the flow channels. This paper reviews the two-phase flow pressure drop correlations that have been developed for the application of PEM fuel cell. It also reviews the effect of different working conditions on the two-phase flow pressure drop in PEM fuel cell flow channels.