Lattice Boltzmann simulation of liquid water transport in turning regions of serpentine gas channels in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Han, Bo; Meng, Hua

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.06.010

Cited by 30 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…However, in real operation, it usually brings the problem in water flooding due to the introduction of channel turnings. 17 Many researchers use experimental methods to measure and observe the water in PEMFCs. 2,3,18,19 Due to the inherently complex nature of the PEMFCs, experimental methods are easy to be affected by environmental and assembly conditions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Numerical investigation of liquid water dynamics in wave-like gas channels of PEMFCs

Peng

et al. 2018

Int J Energy Res

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Summary For the air feed in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), the wave‐like gas channel (GC) shows obvious advantages over the straight GC because the former enhances collision of secondary flow and diffusion in the gas diffusion layer (GDL). However, it is prone to water flooding, which brings greater pressure drop, larger pressure oscillation, and blocking of reaction area. In the present study, numerical models of the water dynamic processes, including water droplets emerging from micropores on the GDL surface and removing through the GC, are established based on the volume of fluid (VOF) method. Water coverage ratio and pressure drop are calculated to evaluate the water flooding. The effects of the dimensional parameters of wave‐like GC and contact angle of channel walls on the water accumulation are studied. The emergence and removal of liquid water is a quasiperiodic and oscillating process. Multicycle simulations show that channel pressure drop increases linearly with greater growth rate than channel length. The equilibrium position of water droplet is strongly dependent on the relative wettability of the GDL and bipolar plate (BPP) surfaces. And the geometric parameters of GC have a significant impact on the pressure, water removal behavior and detachment time. Smaller bent angle brings bigger pressure drop, and larger cycle length is helpful for relieving the oscillation of pressure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The additional flow resistance helps improve the homogeneity of flow distribution, making reaction gas be forced to strike the side wall and diffuse to the GDL. However, in real operation, it usually brings the problem in water flooding due to the introduction of channel turnings …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical investigation of liquid water dynamics in wave-like gas channels of PEMFCs

Peng

et al. 2018

Int J Energy Res

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“…Therefore, the two-phase flows solved in the above tested cases and following numerical simulations concern the liquid water transport in a dense gaseous phase. However, the previous studies [23,25,27,[31][32][33][34] and the present test results have clearly shown that the LBM simulations are capable of capturing the fundamental physics in two-phase flows. …”

Section: Model Validationmentioning

confidence: 45%

“…Mukherjee et al [31] conducted LBM simulation to examine the two-phase transport process and liquid water flooding phenomena in the porous media of a PEMFC. Han et al [32][33][34] conducted two-dimensional two-phase LBM simulations to analyze the formation, growth, and interaction of liquid droplets inside the GDL and gas channel. Effects of several important parameters, including the gas flow velocity, surface contact angle, and gas channel shape, on the liquid water transport characteristics were investigated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three-Dimensional Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Liquid Water Transport in Porous Layer of PEMFC

Han

Meng

2015

Entropy

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A three-dimensional two-phase lattice Boltzmann model (LBM) is implemented and validated for qualitative study of the fundamental phenomena of liquid water transport in the porous layer of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). In the present study, the three-dimensional microstructures of a porous layer are numerically reconstructed by a random generation method. The LBM simulations focus on the effects of the porous layer porosity and boundary liquid saturation on liquid water transport in porous materials. Numerical results confirm that liquid water transport is strongly affected by the microstructures in a porous layer, and the transport process prefers the large pores as its main pathway. The preferential transport phenomenon is more profound with a decreased porous layer porosity and/or boundary liquid saturation. In the transport process, the breakup of a liquid water stream can occur under certain conditions, leading to the formation of liquid droplets inside the porous layer. This phenomenon is related to the connecting bridge or neck resistance dictated by the surface tension, and happens more frequently with a smaller porous layer porosity. Results indicate that an optimized design of porous layer porosity and the combination of various pore sizes may improve both the liquid water removal and gaseous reactant transport in the porous layer of a PEMFC.

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“…However, the simulation results contained limited information on the liquid droplet dynamics in bent channel sections though the comparison of exhaust time and stagnant volume provided a guideline for flow channel design. Han and Meng investigated liquid water behavior in Ushaped channels with a round and sharp bent sections of serpentine gas channels using lattice Boltzmann method [51]. Numerical results indicated that a channel with a round bent section is advantageous in removing liquid water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical simulation of water droplet dynamics in a right angle gas channel of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

Kim

2015

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

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Lattice Boltzmann simulation of liquid water transport in turning regions of serpentine gas channels in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Cited by 30 publications

References 45 publications

Numerical investigation of liquid water dynamics in wave-like gas channels of PEMFCs

Numerical investigation of liquid water dynamics in wave-like gas channels of PEMFCs

Three-Dimensional Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Liquid Water Transport in Porous Layer of PEMFC

Numerical simulation of water droplet dynamics in a right angle gas channel of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

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