Abstract
A non-isothermal and two-phase electrochemical model of polymer electrolyte (PEM) fuel cells was developed to fully describe the transport reaction phenomena in the PEM fuel cells during operation. The model takes into account the correlations between the transport parameters and the material properties based on computational fluid dynamics. It establishes the mutual transport of water between vapor/liquid/ionized states and the coupling relationship between various transport processes, especially the liquid water and vapor two-phase transport in the porous electrodes. To validate this model, a single-cell experiment was designed. The calculated results from the model are consistent with the experimental results under different working conditions. The detailed transport and distribution information inside the fuel cells with waved and straight channels in the cathode are compared, and the reasons for the better performance of the wave channel are comprehensively analyzed. The present model can provide effective guidance for designing and developing high-performance PEM fuel cells.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Wang, Y., Chen, K.S., Cho, S.C.: Pem Fuel Cells: Thermal and Water Management Fundamentals. Momentum Press (2013)
Li, X.: Principles of Fuel Cells. CRC Press (2005)
Wang, C.Y.: Fundamental models for fuel cell engineering. Chem. Rev. 104(50), 4272–4365 (2004)
Wang, Y., Chen, K.S., Mishler, J., Cho, S.C.: A review of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: technology, applications, and needs on fundamental research. Appl. Energy 88(4), 981–1007 (2011)
Li, X., Sabir, I.: Review of bipolar plates in PEM fuel cells:flow-field designs. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 30(4), 359–371 (2005)
Afshari, E., Mosharaf-Dehkordi, M., Rajabian, H.: An investigation of the PEM fuel cells performance with partially restricted cathode flow channels and metal foam as a flow distributor. Energy 118(1), 705–715 (2017)
Zhang, G., Xie, X., Xie, B., Du, Q., Jiao, K.: Large-scale multi-phase simulation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Int. J. Heat Mass Transf. 130, 555–563 (2019)
Kahraman, H., Orhan, M.F.: Flow field bipolar plates in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell: analysis & mod-eling. Energy Convers. Manage. 133(1), 363–384 (2017)
Fishman, Z., Bazylak, A.: Heterogeneous through-plane porosity distributions for treated PEMFC GDLs. II. Effect of MPL cracks. Electrochem. Soc. 158, 846–851 (2011)
Shan, J., Lin, R., Chen, X., Diao, X.: EIS and local resolved current density distribution analysis on effects of MPL on PEMFC performance at varied humidification. Int. J. Heat Mass Transf. 127, 1076–1083 (2018)
Kumar, A., Reddy, R.G.: Materials and design development for bipolar/end plates in fuel cells. J. Power Sour. 129(1), 62–67 (2004)
Wong, A., Ge, N., Shrestha, P., Liu, H., Fahy, K.: Polytetrafluoroethylene content in standalone microporous layers: tradeoff between membrane hydration and mass transport losses in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells—ScienceDirect. Appl. Energy 240, 549–560 (2019)
Nagai, Y., Eller, J., Hatanaka, T., Yamaguchi, S., Kato, S., Kato, A., Marone, F., Xu, H.: Improving water management in fuel cells through microporouslayer modifications: Fast operando tomographic imaging of liquid water. J. Power Sour. 435, 226809 (2019)
Simon, C., Kartouzian, D., Müller, D., Wilhelm, F., Gasteiger, H.A.: Impact of microporous layer pore properties on liquid water transport in PEM fuel cells:carbon black type and perforation. J. Electrochem. Soc. 164(14), F1697–F1711 (2017)
Hakenjos, A., Muenter, H., Wittstadt, U., Hebling, C.: A PEM fuel cell for combined measurement of current and temperature distribution, and flow field flooding. J. Power Sour. 131(1), 213–216 (2004)
Sinha, P.K., Halleck, P., Wang, C.Y.: Quantification of liquid water saturation in a PEM fuel cell diffusion medium using X-ray microtomography. Electrochem. Soc. 9(7), A344–A348 (2006)
Yang, X.G., Zhang, F.Y., Lubawy, A.L., Wang, C.Y.: Visualization of liquid water transport in a PEFC. Electrochem Soc 7(11), A408–A411 (2004)
Hussaini, I.S., Wang, C.Y.: Visualization and quantification of cathode channel flooding in PEM fuel cells. J. Power Sour. 187(2), 444–451 (2009)
Mench, M.M., Dong, Q.L., Wang, C.Y.: In situ water distribution measurements in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. J. Power Sour. 124(1), 90–98 (2003)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this paper
Cite this paper
Chen, X., Lu, W., Sun, Y., Geng, J., Hao, L. (2024). A Non-isothermal and Two-Phase Model for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells. In: Sun, H., Pei, W., Dong, Y., Yu, H., You, S. (eds) Proceedings of the 10th Hydrogen Technology Convention, Volume 2. WHTC 2023. Springer Proceedings in Physics, vol 394. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-8585-2_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-8585-2_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-99-8584-5
Online ISBN: 978-981-99-8585-2
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)