This research focuses on new rapid prototype development techniques for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell gas delivery plates. The study addresses several key issues in the design, analysis and manufacturing of fuel cell plates. The approach combines theoretical modeling, experimental study, physical plate making process, and virtual prototyping to form a new scheme for the rapid prototype development of fuel cell plates.

The research extends the newly introduced screen-printing layer deposition manufacturing technique to complete the entire cycle of rapid plate development. A number of key issues on plate materials and the layer deposition process are addressed. The study has identified the cause of the problem with the poster-ink based screen-print ink material, explored various alternative composite ink materials, and narrowed down to the promising “conductive polymer ∼ epoxy ∼ graphite power” composite. A new, concurrent approach for developing new composite materials through various experiments and material tests has been introduced, and demonstrated through the development of one particular ink composite with promising results.

In this research, the method for virtual prototyping fuel cell gas delivery plate using advanced CAD/CAE commercial software is introduced. The method allows a “virtual prototype” of the fuel cell plate to be constructed and the performance of the plate to be evaluated through various analyses as “virtual prototype tests.” These include the prediction of fuel cell performance through the CFD calculation on the average oxygen concentration;​ as well as the assessments of the maximum stress and undesirable temperature variation on the printed fuel cell plate through finite element analysis.

Design optimization is conducted using the virtual prototypes to improve the design of the flow field and the plate. Three disciplinary models are simulated and their results are subject to disciplinary optimizations. Global design optimization is carried out using multiple objective optimization, combining the functional performance measures from three disciplinary models. This multi-disciplinary optimization integrates performance considerations of PEM fuel cell plate, and provides guidelines to the plate development.

The research contributes to a new approach for the rapid development of fuel cell plates with a great potential to be applied to other mechanical parts. The study also extends the methodology of computational design and rapid prototyping.