A Steady-State Monte Carlo Study on the Effect of Structural and Operating Parameters on Liquid Water Distribution within the Microporous Layers and the Catalyst Layers of PEM Fuel Cells

This contribution intends to show how Raman spectroscopy can be used to pursue processes inside PEM fuel cells. For this, two experimental setups have been worked out. At first a microscope objective was inserted into one bipolar plate. This enabled the detection of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, vaporous and liquid water as well as changes in gas compositions and water distribution induced by an artificial pinhole within the MEA. A multiple-fiber Raman spectrometer with seven twin fibers was then developed to refine the look inside fuel cells. This setup permits the simultaneous record of gas compositions, liquid water and water vapor and how those species do change locally during operation. Beside the collection of data for modelling fuel cell processes, the multiple-fiber setup is primarily considered to monitor degradation processes and pre-stages of membrane damages.

Download Full-text

Nano-scale Monte Carlo study on liquid water distribution within the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell microporous layer, catalyst layer and their interfacial region

Journal of Power Sources ◽

10.1016/j.jpowsour.2018.07.027 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 397 ◽

pp. 271-279 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

A. Pournemat ◽

H. Markötter ◽

F. Wilhelm ◽

S. Enz ◽

H. Kropf ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Monte Carlo ◽

Fuel Cell ◽

Liquid Water ◽

Water Distribution ◽

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane ◽

Catalyst Layer ◽

Monte Carlo Study ◽

Interfacial Region ◽

Microporous Layer ◽

Electrolyte Membrane

Download Full-text

A Monte Carlo study of electron‐hole scattering and steady‐state minority‐electron transport in GaAs

Applied Physics Letters ◽

10.1063/1.100282 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 53 (22) ◽

pp. 2205-2207 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

K. Sadra ◽

C. M. Maziar ◽

B. G. Streetman ◽

D. S. Tang

Keyword(s):

Monte Carlo ◽

Steady State ◽

Electron Transport ◽

Monte Carlo Study ◽

Electron Hole

Download Full-text

Effect of Vibration on the Liquid Water Transport of PEM Fuel Cells

Volume 6: Emerging Technologies: Alternative Energy Systems; Energy Systems: Analysis, Thermodynamics and Sustainability ◽

10.1115/imece2009-12062 ◽

2009 ◽

Author(s):

Luis Breziner ◽

Peter Strahs ◽

Parsaoran Hutapea

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cells ◽

Fuel Cell ◽

Water Transport ◽

Liquid Water ◽

Pem Fuel Cells ◽

Gas Diffusion ◽

Cell Performance ◽

Sinusoidal Vibration ◽

Fuel Cell Performance ◽

Liquid Water Transport

The objective of this research is to analyze the effects of vibration on the performance of hydrogen PEM fuel cells. It has been reported that if the liquid water transport across the gas diffusion layer (GDL) changes, so does the overall cell performance. Since many fuel cells operate under a vibrating environment –as in the case of automotive applications, this may influence the liquid water concentration across the GDL at different current densities, affecting the overall fuel cell performance. The problem was developed in two main steps. First, the basis for an analytical model was established using current models for water transport in porous media. Then, a series of experiments were carried, monitoring the performance of the fuel cell for different parameters of oscillation. For sinusoidal vibration at 10, 20 and 50Hz (2 g of magnitude), a decrease in the fuel cell performance by 2.2%, 1.1% and 1.3% was recorded when compared to operation at no vibration respectively. For 5 g of magnitude, the fuel cell reported a drop of 5.8% at 50 Hz, whereas at 20 Hz the performance increased by 1.3%. Although more extensive experimentation is needed to identify a relationship between magnitude and frequency of vibration affecting the performance of the fuel cell as well as a throughout examination of the liquid water formation in the cathode, this study shows that sinusoidal vibration, overall, affects the performance of PEM fuel cells.

Download Full-text

Effects of GDL Structure with an Efficient Approach to the Management of Liquid water in PEM Fuel Cells

Fuel Cells ◽

10.1002/fuce.200900114 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 530-544 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Erin E. Kimball ◽

Jay B. Benziger ◽

Yannis G. Kevrekidis

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cells ◽

Liquid Water ◽

Pem Fuel Cells ◽

Efficient Approach

Download Full-text

STEADY-STATE MODELLING OF PEM FUEL CELLS USING GRADIENT-BASED OPTIMIZER

DYNA INGENIERIA E INDUSTRIA ◽

10.6036/10099 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol DYNA-ACELERADO (0) ◽

pp. [ 8 pp.]-[ 8 pp.]

Author(s):

SALAH KAMAL ◽

ATTIA EL-FERGANY ◽

EHAB EHAB ELSAYED ELATTAR ◽

AHMED AGWA

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cells ◽

Steady State ◽

Fuel Cell ◽

Optimization Problem ◽

Pem Fuel Cells ◽

Test Cases ◽

Uncertain Parameters ◽

Gradient Based ◽

High Degree ◽

Exchange Membrane

The accuracy of fuel cell (FC) models is important for the further numerical simulations and analysis at several conditions. The electrical (I-V) characteristic of the polymer exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) has high degree of nonlinearity comprising uncertain seven parameters as they aren’t given in fabricator's datasheets. These seven parameters need to be obtained to have the PEMFC model in order. This research addresses an up-to-date application of the gradient-based optimizer (GBO) to generate the best estimated values of such uncertain parameters. The estimation of these uncertain parameters is adapted as optimization problem having a cost function (CF) subjects to set of self-constrained limits. Three test cases of widely used PEMFCs units; namely, SR-12, 250-W module and NedStack PS6 to appraise the performance of the GBO are demonstrated and analyzed. The best values of the CF are 0.000142, 0.33598, and 2.10025 V2 for SR-12, 250-W module and NedStack PS6; respectively. Furthermore, the assessment of the GBO-based model is made by comparing its obtained results with the experiential results of these typical PEMFCs plus comparisons to other methods. At a due stage, many scenarios as a result of operating variations in regard to inlet regulation pressures and unit temperatures are performed. The copped reported results of the studied scenarios indicate the effectiveness of the GBO in establishing an accurate PEMFC model.

Download Full-text