Abstract: With the global advancement of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, the core challenge of energy transition focuses on the efficient utilization of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis, characterized by its fast response, low energy consumption, and high hydrogen production pressure, is well-suited to accommodate the fluctuating nature of renewable energy generation, making it a rational choice for integrating renewable energy. However, the high cost of PEM electrolyzers (PEMEC) currently limits their large-scale application. Optimizing flow channel design to increase current density is a critical technological pathway for cost reduction. The advantages and disadvantages of parallel, serpentine, interdigitated, grid-like, and other less common flow channel typesare comprehensively reviewed,and the current state of research on the synergistic optimization of flow channels with other components (such as diffusion layers and catalytic layers) are analyzeed. Comprehensive analysis indicates that optimizing the geometric shape of flow channels can effectively improve fluid dynamic properties, enhance mass and heat transfer efficiency, while reducing flow resistance, bubble retention, and uneven local current density distribution. These improvements can significantly enhance the overall performance of the electrolyzer, providing valuable insights for the further optimization of PEMEC.

Key words: proton exchange membrane electrolyzer, flow channel geometry, synergistic optimization, simulation