Research on Multiphysics characteristics and key parameter optimisation of electrolyser cell plate flow channels

Abstract A three-dimensional numerical model is constructed based on the COMSOL Multiphysics software. Firstly, the thickness of the electrolyzer cell is set to 5 mm to determine the basic geometric parameters. On this basis, the coupling effects of the inlet velocity of the electrolyte cell plate flow channel and the porosity of the foam nickel on the distribution of multiple physical fields are focused on exploring. Results demonstrate that nickel foam significantly improves flow field uniformity, while porosity shows an inverse relationship with flow uniformity. However, increased porosity enhances average flow velocity, reduces pressure, and induces localized temperature rise. Numerical optimization revealed optimal system performance at an inlet velocity of 1.5 m/s and a nickel foam porosity of 0.6. This study elucidates the mechanism by which porous media regulate flow-heat coupled fields, providing theoretical foundations for designing electrode flow channels in high-power-density water electrolysis hydrogen production systems. The findings offer engineering guidance for optimizing energy efficiency in green hydrogen equipment.