Three-dimensional simulation of water droplet movement in PEM fuel cell flow channels with hydrophilic surfaces

2010 ◽  
Vol 35 (13) ◽  
pp. 1200-1212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bittagopal Mondal ◽  
Kui Jiao ◽  
Xianguo Li
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Water Droplet ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrophilic Surfaces ◽  
Flow Channels ◽  
Droplet Movement ◽  
Dimensional Simulation

Development of an Optical Sensor for Temperature Measurement and Water Droplet Detection in PEMFC Gas Channels

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristopher Inman ◽  
Xia Wang ◽  
Brian Sangerozan
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Temperature Measurement ◽  
Water Droplet ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Droplet Movement ◽  
Temperature Measurement System

Thermal and water management in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells provide a significant challenge for engineers and fuel cell designers as both have a direct effect on performance and durability. Internal temperature is very difficult to measure due to component geometry and the internal environment possessed by PEM fuel cells along with a lack of sufficient temperature measurement methods which are often highly invasive. This research presents initial developments for creating a non-intrusive temperature measurement system, based on the principles of phosphor thermometry, which also has the ability to optically detect liquid water formation and movement in PEMFC gas channels. The sensor was designed, calibrated and then installed in a 25 cm2 PEM fuel cell for in-situ testing. The experimental data show that a relationship exists between temperature variation and water droplet movement in gas channels of a PEM fuel cell.

Three-Dimensional Simulation of Water Droplet Movement in PEM Fuel Cell Flow Channels with Fluid-Mechanics Properties and Different Deformations of GDL

2012 ◽  
Vol 625 ◽  
pp. 53-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Bao ◽  
Qing Du ◽  
Yan Yin
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Liquid Water ◽  
Water Droplet ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Cathode Side ◽  
Gas Channel ◽  
Flow Channels

Water management plays a significant role in enhancing performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Successful water management requires effective removal of liquid water produced by electrochemical reactions. Therefore, it is a critical challenge to understand liquid water movements in flow channels. In the present study, a three-dimensional unsteady two-phase model for the cathode side of PEMFC consisting of gas channel (GC), gas diffusion layer (GDL) and catalyst layer (CL) is developed using FLUENT software with a volume-of-fluid (VOF) method and user-defined-function (UDF). When fuel cells are assembled, the cross sections of gas channel change, resulting in different water droplet movements. The effects of GDL deformations on water droplet movements are discussed.

An Innovative Three Dimensional Numerical Model for Bipolar Plates to Enhance the Efficiency of PEM Fuel Cells

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faraz Arbabi ◽  
Ramin Roshandel
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Numerical Model ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Bipolar Plate ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell Performance ◽  
Flow Channels ◽  
Plate Design ◽  
Current Densities

The efficiency of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is straightly correlated to the bipolar plate design and fluid channel arrangements. Higher produced energy can be attained by optimal design of type, size, or patterns of the channels. Previous researches showed that the bipolar plate channel design has a considerable effect on reactant distribution uniformity as well as humidity control in PEM fuel cells. This paper concentrates on enhancements in the fuel cell performance by optimization of bipolar plate design and channels configurations. A numerical model of flow distribution based on Navier-Stokes equations using individual computer code is presented. The results gained from this three dimensional, multi-component simulation showed excellent agreement with the existed experimental data in the previous publications. In this paper, a new flow field design inspired from the nature is presented and analyzed. In this work, two mostly used flow channels design — serpentine and parallel — have been studied and compared to the newly introduced bio inspired bipolar plate design. To compare, velocity distributions of fluid, mass fraction of reactant gases and polarization curves for different bipolar plate designs have been analyzed. The key design criteria in this study are based on more homogenous molar spreading of species and more uniform velocity distribution along the flow channels and also higher voltage and power density output in different current densities. By developing a numerical code it was concluded that the bio inspired bipolar plate can enhance the PEM fuel cell performance especially at middle current densities, where the losses caused by mass transport limitations are not significant.

Three-dimensional transport model of PEM fuel cell with straight flow channels

2006 ◽  
Vol 158 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xunliang Liu ◽  
Wenquan Tao ◽  
Zengyao Li ◽  
Yaling He
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Flow Channels ◽  
Straight Flow

Initial Development of a Method for Optical Measurement of Water Droplet Formation in the Cathode Flow Channel of a PEM Fuel Cell

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Stuart ◽  
Kristopher Inman ◽  
Xia Wang
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Water Droplet ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Droplet Formation ◽  
Flow Channel ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Flow Channels ◽  
Water Formation

Cathode flooding in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells, or the displacement of reactant gases from the catalyst layer by water formation, limits performance and durability. Water transport is not yet well understood and can vary under different operating conditions, such as temperature. Previous work performed to characterize water formation has mostly involved water visualization, using materials/construction which could alter water condensation characteristics. The objective of this work is to investigate a method to optically measure the relative size of water droplet formation in PEM fuel cell cathode gas flow channels using an unobtrusive and previously developed temperature sensor. A single-sensor mathematical model was developed which considers channel geometry, fiber diameter, and water droplet shape and size. Droplet formation involved three different possible shapes, resulting from different hydrophobic properties of channel material. Ex situ testing utilized chromium doped yttrium aluminum garnet as the chosen phosphor, applied to a carbon paper GDL. No correlation was found between the theoretical model and the experimental findings. Although signal attenuation cannot accurately predict droplet size, it is still possible to characterize water droplet formation using statistical analysis. Since a water droplet consistently produces measurable attenuation, the frequency of water droplet detection in the flow channel can be used to characterize the amount of water formation or flooding in the cathode flow channels. The work is ongoing and new methods of water droplet characterization are still being investigated.

Three Dimensional Analysis of a PEM Fuel Cell With the Shape of a Fermat Spiral for the Flow Channel Configuration

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Jua´rez-Robles ◽  
A. Herna´ndez-Guerrero ◽  
C. E. Damia´n-Ascencio ◽  
C. Rubio-Arana
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Current Density ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Dimensional Model ◽  
Three Dimensional Model ◽  
Flow Channels ◽  
Channel Configuration

This work presents the analysis of a non-isothermal three-dimensional model in single phase of a PEM fuel cell with an innovative flow field path in the form of the Fermat spiral, i.e. two concentric spirals. The model is used to predict the current density contours and the water content in all of the zones of the fuel cell. The three-dimensional model includes: the gas flow channels with the shape of the new geometry proposed, the current collectors, gas diffusion layers, catalyst layers on both sides of the model, anode and cathode, and a proton exchange membrane in between. The model solves the energy equation, mass conservation, and species transport equations, including the source terms due the electrochemical effects occurring in the cell. The results show a higher average current density than the fuel cells with conventional flow paths, showing also that the current density attained is more uniform from the inlet to the outlet of the flow channels.

Three-Dimensional Simulation of Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack

2008 ◽  
Vol 128 (2) ◽  
pp. 459-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshitaka Inui ◽  
Tadashi Tanaka ◽  
Tomoyoshi Kanno
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Fuel Cell Stack ◽  
Dimensional Simulation
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