Modeling of liquid water transport in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell gas flow channel with dynamic wettability

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (10) ◽  
pp. 3315-3327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanzhou Qin ◽  
Xianguo Li ◽  
Yan Yin
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Water Transport ◽  
Liquid Water ◽  
Gas Flow ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Flow Channel ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Exchange Membrane ◽  
Liquid Water Transport

Flow regimes for liquid water transport in a tapered flow channel of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs)

2013 ◽  
Vol 234 ◽  
pp. 260-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Éliton Fontana ◽  
Erasmo Mancusi ◽  
Antônio Augusto Ulson de Souza ◽  
Selene M.A. Guelli Ulson de Souza
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Water Transport ◽  
Liquid Water ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Flow Regimes ◽  
Flow Channel ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Exchange Membrane ◽  
Liquid Water Transport

The Effect of Inhomogeneous Compression on Water Transport in the Cathode of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders C. Olesen ◽  
Torsten Berning ◽  
Søren K. Kær
Keyword(s):  
Porous Media ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Water Transport ◽  
Diffusion Layer ◽  
Liquid Water ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Exchange Membrane ◽  
Liquid Water Transport

A three-dimensional, multicomponent, two-fluid model developed in the commercial CFD package CFX 13 (ANSYS Inc.) is used to investigate the effect of porous media compression on water transport in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The PEMFC model only consist of the cathode channel, gas diffusion layer, microporous layer, and catalyst layer, excluding the membrane and anode. In the porous media liquid water transport is described by the capillary pressure gradient, momentum loss via the Darcy-Forchheimer equation, and mass transfer between phases by a nonequilibrium phase change model. Furthermore, the presence of irreducible liquid water is taken into account. In order to account for compression, porous media morphology variations are specified based on the gas diffusion layer (GDL) through-plane strain and intrusion which are stated as a function of compression. These morphology variations affect gas and liquid water transport, and hence liquid water distribution and the risk of blocking active sites. Hence, water transport is studied under GDL compression in order to investigate the qualitative effects. Two simulation cases are compared; one with and one without compression.

Effect of Gas Diffusion Layer Surface Wettability Gradient on Water Behavior in a Serpentine Gas Flow Channel of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sneha Malhotra ◽  
Sumana Ghosh
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Diffusion Layer ◽  
Gas Flow ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Gas Diffusion Layer ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Flow Channel ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Surface Wettability ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Water removal and behavior, in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) gas flow channel has been investigated in this work. Single serpentine gas flow channel has been simulated. Hydrodynamics of water drops in a serpentine channel are studied as a function of nature of gas diffusion layer (GDL) surface wettability. In one case, the surface becomes gradually hydrophobic starting from 90 deg to 170 deg. In this second case, the value of contact angle reduces to 10 deg. A three-dimensional model has been developed by using cfd software. Two different drop of diameter 0.2 mm and 0.4 mm are simulated for all the cases. It is observed that, water coverage is always lesser for a gradual hydrophobic surface. Also at low air velocity and gradual hydrophobic GDL surface results in lesser pressure drop as well as water coverage.

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