FLOW-FIELD ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURAL OPTIMIZATION OF CONCAVE-CONVEX BIPOLAR PLATES IN ALKALINE ELECTROLYZERS FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION

Zhao Chenhui; Jin Zihao; Xiang Ling; Lu Xiaochen; Yang Xin

doi:10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-0998

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Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (10) : 138-146. DOI: 10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-0998

FLOW-FIELD ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURAL OPTIMIZATION OF CONCAVE-CONVEX BIPOLAR PLATES IN ALKALINE ELECTROLYZERS FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION

Zhao Chenhui, Jin Zihao, Xiang Ling, Lu Xiaochen, Yang Xin

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Abstract

To tackle the non-uniform distribution of alkaline electrolyte across the corrugated bipolar plates during alkaline water electrolysis process for hydrogen production, the present work undertakes a structural optimization of the bipolar plates in a 5 Nm³/h alkaline electrolyzer. Computational fluid dynamics was employed to resolve the electrolyte velocity field under representative operating conditions. Numerical results indicate that the high-velocity zone is concentrated along the central axis of the existing corrugated plates, undermining flow uniformity. Two complementary remedies are therefore proposed. First, inclined guide grooves are introduced at the electrolyte inlet to laterally disperse the incoming flow. Second, the conventional spherical protrusions and recesses are replaced by ellipsoidal corrugations that alternately split and refocus the electrolyte stream. Simulations demonstrate that the combination of slanted inlet grooves and ellipsoidal surface topography markedly improves flow uniformity across the entire bipolar plate.

Key words

hydrogen energy / electrolyzer / computer simulation / concave-convex bipolar plates / inclined diversion groove

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Zhao Chenhui, Jin Zihao, Xiang Ling, Lu Xiaochen, Yang Xin. FLOW-FIELD ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURAL OPTIMIZATION OF CONCAVE-CONVEX BIPOLAR PLATES IN ALKALINE ELECTROLYZERS FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION[J]. Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica. 2025, 46(10): 138-146 https://doi.org/10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-0998

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