Liquid Water Uptake and Contact Angle Measurement of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) Electrodes

2018 ◽  
Vol 86 (13) ◽  
pp. 163-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofyane Abbou ◽  
Kazuya Tajiri ◽  
Ezequiel Medici ◽  
Andrew Thomas Haug ◽  
Jeffrey S Allen
Keyword(s):  
Contact Angle ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Water Uptake ◽  
Liquid Water ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Contact Angle Measurement ◽  
Angle Measurement ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Study of Water Droplet Removal on Etched-Metal Surfaces for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Flow Channel

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Shimpalee ◽  
V. Lilavivat
Keyword(s):  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Contact Angle ◽  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Liquid Water ◽  
Water Droplet ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Flow Channel ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Within a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), the transport route of liquid water begins at the cathode catalyst layer, and then progresses into the gas diffusion layer (GDL) where it then goes into the flow channel. At times, significant accumulation of liquid droplets can be seen on either side of the membrane on the surface of the flow channel. In this work, liquid water and the flow dynamics within the transport channel were examined experimentally, with the channel acting as an optical window. Ex situ interpretations of the liquid water and flow patterns inside the channel were established. Liquid water droplet movements were analyzed by considering the change of the contact angle with different flow rates. Also, various surface roughness of stainless steel was used to determine the relationships between flow rate and the contact angles. When liquid water is found within the gas channels of PEMFCs, the channels' characteristic changes become more dominant and it becomes more of a necessity to monitor the effects. Physical motion of water droplets in the flow channels of PEMFCs is important. The surface roughness properties were used to describe the contact angle and the droplet removal force on the stainless steel flow channel.

Predicting Liquid Water Saturation Through Differently Structured Cathode Gas Diffusion Media of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Akhtar ◽  
P. J. A. M. Kerkhof
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Liquid Water ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Catalyst Layer ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Diffusion Media ◽  
Exchange Membrane

The role of gas diffusion media with differently structured properties have been examined with emphasis on the liquid water saturation within the cathode of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The cathode electrode consists of a gas diffusion layer (GDL), a micro-porous layer and a catalyst layer (CL). The liquid water saturation profiles have been calculated for varying structural and physical properties, i.e., porosity, permeability, thickness and contact angle for each of these layers. It has been observed that each layer has its own role in determining the liquid water saturation within the CL. Among all the layers, the GDL is the most influential layer that governs the transport phenomena within the PEMFC cathode. Besides, the thickness of the CL also affects the liquid water saturation and it should be carefully controlled.

Two-Phase Transport in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Y. Wang ◽  
Z. H. Wang ◽  
Y. Pan
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Current Density ◽  
Liquid Water ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Threshold Current ◽  
Threshold Current Density ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Air Cathode ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Abstract Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells have emerged, in the last decade, as a viable technology for power generation and energy conversion. Fuel cell (FC) engines for vehicular applications possess many attributes such as high fuel efficiency, low emission, quiet and low temperature operation, and modularity. An important phenomenon limiting fuel cell performance is the two-phase flow and transport of fuel and oxidant from flow channels to reaction sites. In this paper a mathematical model is presented to study the two-phase flow dynamics, multi-component transport and electrochemical kinetics in the air cathode, the most important component of the hydrogen PEM fuel cell. A major feature of the present model is that it unifies single- and two-phase analyses for low and high current densities, respectively, and it is capable of predicting the threshold current density corresponding to the onset of liquid water formation in the air cathode. A numerical study based on the finite volume method is then undertaken to calculate the detailed distributions of local current density, oxygen concentration, water vapor concentration and liquid water saturation as well as their effects on the cell polarization curve. The simulated polarization curve and predicted threshold current density corresponding to the onset of liquid water formation for a single-channel, 5cm2 fuel cell compare favorably with experimental results. Quantitative comparisons with experiments presently being conducted at our laboratory will be reported in a forthcoming paper.

Multi-Phase Flow and Condensation in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Stockie
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Liquid Water ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Multi Phase Flow ◽  
Multi Phase ◽  
Exchange Membrane

The porous electrodes in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell are characterized by multi-phase flow, involving liquid water and multispecies gases, that are undergoing both condensation and catalyzed reactions. Careful management of liquid water and heat in the fuel cell system is essential for optimizing performance. The primary focus of this study is thus on condensation and water transport, neither of which have yet been studied in as much detail as other aspects of fuel cell dynamics. We develop a two-dimensional model for multi-phase flow in a porous medium that captures the fundamental transport processes going on in the electrodes. The governing equations are discretized using a finite volume approach, and numerical simulations are performed in order to determine the effect of changing operating conditions on fuel cell performance.

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