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

Kimball, Erin; Benziger, J.; Kevrekidis, Yannis

doi:10.1002/fuce.200900114

Cited by 41 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Many studies have revealed the importance of gravity effect on the performance and water management of PEMFC by changing the orientation of the fuel cell. Kimball et al [28,29] observed the liquid water motion in PEMFC by changing the PEMFC orientation. Different characteristics were observed with different orientations of the flow channels.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental study of two-phase flow in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell in short-term microgravity condition

Guo

Zhao

et al. 2014

Applied Energy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

h i g h l i g h t sTwo-phase flow in PEMFC cathode channels is observed in different gravity environments. The PEMFC shows different operating behavior in normal and microgravity conditions. Water tends can be removed in microgravity conditions at high water production regime. Liquid aggregation occurs in microgravity conditions at low water production regime. Effect of gravity on performance and two-phase flow at two operating regimes is studied. a r t i c l e i n f o t r a c tWater management is important for improving the performance and stability of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) for space applications. An in situ visual observation was conducted on the gasliquid two-phase flow in the cathode channels of a PEMFC in short-term microgravity condition. The microgravity environment was supplied by a drop tower. A single serpentine flow channel with a depth of 2 mm and a width of 2 mm was applied as the cathode flow field. A membrane electrode assembly comprising of a Nafion 112 membrane sandwiched between gas diffusion layers was used. The anode and cathode were loaded with 1 mg cm À2 platinum. The PEMFC shows a distinct operating behavior in microgravity because of the effect of gravity on the two-phase flow. At a high water production regime, cell performance is enhanced by 4.6% and the accumulated liquid water in the flow channel tends can be removed in microgravity conditions to alleviate flooding. At a low water production regime, cell performance deteriorates by 6.6% and liquid aggregation occurs in the flow channel because of the coalescence of dispersed water droplets in microgravity conditions, thus squeezing the flow channel. The operating behavior of PEMFC in microgravity conditions is different from that in normal gravity conditions. Further studies are needed on PEMFC operating characteristics and liquid management for space applications.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental study of two-phase flow in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell in short-term microgravity condition

Guo

Zhao

et al. 2014

Applied Energy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The work of Kimball et al [37] coupled with the GDL characterization presented here show that the flow of water from the catalyst layer through the GDL is a component of the fuel cell design. Pores may be created in a hydrophobic GDL material that can minimize flooding, improve membrane humidification, and facilitate water removal.…”

Section: Implications For Fuel Cell Designmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…Gerteisen et al experimentally demonstrated that systematically perforating carbon paper with knowledge of the flow channel structure reduces water accumulation and results in increased limiting current densities of 8-22% [36]. Kimball et al [37] created flow directing pores through the GDL. They reported the highest current density was achieved with a vertical flow channel, gas flow down, and the flow directing pore under the rib near the cathode gas inlet.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Flow in, Through, and Around the Gas Diffusion Layer

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Liquid water produced in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells is transported from the cathode catalyst/membrane interface through the gas diffusion layer (GDL) to the gas flow channel. Liquid water travels both laterally (in the plane of GDL) and transversely through the largest pores of the porous GDL structure. Narrow apertures in the largest pores are the primary resistance to liquid water penetration. Carbon paper has limiting apertures ∼20 μm in diameter and ∼1 μm in length whereas carbon cloth has apertures ∼100 μm in diameter and ∼200 μm in length. After sufficient hydrostatic pressure is applied, water penetrates the limiting aperture and flows through the pore. The pressure required for water to flow through the pores is less than the pressure to penetrate the limiting aperture of the pores. Water moved laterally and directed through a small number of transverse pores. There is less resistance to lateral liquid water flow at the interface between the GDL and a solid surface than through the GDL. The results from these experiments suggest that water flow through the GDL is dominated by a small number of pores and most pores remain free of liquid water.

show abstract

“…In comparing the performance of fuel cells in different placement positions of the cathode and anode, they found that liquid water discharge inside the fuel cell with a cathode-upward flow field is superior to that inside the anode-upward flow field. Morin et al [32] analyzed the spectra of liquid content outside the membrane and found that, for a constant current density, the performance of the cell is enhanced for a symmetric configuration when the cathode inlet is placed at the bottom of flow field because of better membrane hydration. Lee et al [34] also presented the impact of gravitational level on cell polarization characteristics and liquid water discharge phenomenon.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of low gravity on water removal inside proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with different flow channel configurations

Guo

Zhao

et al. 2016

Energy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

a b s t r a c tPractically investigate water removal and cell performance for PEMFCs under low gravity circumstance is an urgent task, especially as a promising power supply unit applied to space engineering. PEMFC with an in-situ optical flow field was used to explicate two-phase flow and water removal inside cathode flow field from terrestrial gravity to microgravity. The cell was tested in the vertical and horizontal flow channel orientations. A 3.6 s short-time micro-gravity circumstance was provided by National Microgravity Laboratory. Results show that gravitational level has an essential influence on gas-liquid twophase flow characteristics for PEMFC with different configurations. The cell placed in different channel orientations also shows distinguished operating behavior because of the complicated impact of the changed gravity and configuration. Under the operating condition of a vertical flow channel orientation, accumulated water and droplets in terrestrial are pushed by oxygen flow to continuous removal toward the outlet of the fuel cell to alleviate water flooding, and the cell performance is slightly enhanced in a 3.6 s micro-gravity circumstance. Operating in a horizontal flow channel orientation, the generated water throughout the micro-gravity circumstance duration is not prone to move and flood flow channels in micro-gravity, meanwhile the cell performance is slightly deteriorated.

show abstract

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

Cited by 41 publications

References 37 publications

Experimental study of two-phase flow in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell in short-term microgravity condition

Experimental study of two-phase flow in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell in short-term microgravity condition

Water Flow in, Through, and Around the Gas Diffusion Layer

Effect of low gravity on water removal inside proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with different flow channel configurations

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About