Lattice Boltzmann simulation of liquid water transport inside and at interface of gas diffusion and micro-porous layers of PEM fuel cells

Deng, Hao; Hou, Yuze; Jiao, Kui

doi:10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2019.05.097

Cited by 72 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…The reconstruction of MPL differs from that of GDL because the carbon particles in MPL are considerable smaller than those of the fibers in GDL [8]. The particles at the nanoscale result in a small porous structure that is unsuitable for macro design.…”

Section: Stochastic Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This finding provides a reasonable simplification for MPL reconstruction. Thus, only the macro-cracks are considered in two-phase flow studies [8].…”

Section: Stochastic Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Kusoglu et al [39] conducted experiments to examine the CL water uptake, that is, the transport of liquid water into the pore and vapor into the ionomer. The author reported that the most significant [22] Transport and physical processes [35] (1) Electroosmotic (2) Back-diffusion (3) Water condensation/evaporation (4) Water transport to MPL/GDL MPL Stochastic model (cracks) [8] (1) Effects of MPL thickness, porosity, pore size, and hydrophobicity [47] (2) Role of MPL cracks [8,19,20,47] (3) Back-diffusion [46,47]…”

Section: Two-phase Flow In CLmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(1) X-CT [12][13][14][15] (2) Stochastic model [16][17][18] (1) Effects of GDL materials [69][70][71], porosities [10,72,73], and PTFE treatment [74][75][76][77][78][79] (2) GDL structural modification: MPL [8], groove, and perforation [80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88] (3) Structural deformation: compression [91][92][93][94][95][96][97][98] effect was whether the sample was cracked. In addition, the relationship between capillary pressure and saturation was measured.…”

Section: Gdlmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…MPL is generally formed by carbon particles and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and the thickness ranges from 10 to 100 µm with a porosity of 30-50%. The pore size of MPL varies from 0.1 to 0.5 µm, whereas that of GDL reaches 10-30 µm [8]. Therefore, MPL possesses relatively different porosities, permeability, hydrophobicity, thermal conductivity, and electrical resistance compared with GDL.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Two-Phase Flow in Porous Electrodes of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Jiao

2020

Trans. Tianjin Univ.

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Water management in porous electrodes bears significance due to its strong potential in determining the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell. In terms of porous electrodes, internal water distribution and removal process have extensively attracted attention in both experimental and numerical studies. However, the structural difference among the catalyst layer (CL), microporous layer (MPL), and gas diffusion layer (GDL) leads to significant challenges in studying the two-phase flow behavior. Given the different porosities and pore scales of the CL, MPL, and GDL, the model scales in simulating each component are inconsistent. This review emphasizes the numerical simulation related to porous electrodes in the water transport process and evaluates the effectiveness and weakness of the conventional methods used during the investigation. The limitations of existing models include the following: (i) The reconstruction of geometric models is difficult to achieve when using the real characteristics of the components; (ii) the computational domain size is limited due to massive computational loads in three-dimensional (3D) simulations; (iii) numerical associations among 3D models are lacking because of the separate studies for each component; (iv) the effects of vapor condensation and heat transfer on the two-phase flow are disregarded; (v) compressive deformation during assembly and vibration in road conditions should be considered in two-phase flow studies given the real operating conditions. Therefore, this review is aimed at critical research gaps which need further investigation. Insightful potential research directions are also suggested for future improvements.

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Section: Stochastic Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This finding provides a reasonable simplification for MPL reconstruction. Thus, only the macro-cracks are considered in two-phase flow studies [8].…”

Section: Stochastic Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Two-phase Flow In CLmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Gdlmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Two-Phase Flow in Porous Electrodes of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Jiao

2020

Trans. Tianjin Univ.

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Similarities and Differences between Gas Diffusion Layers Used in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell and Water Electrolysis for Material and Mass Transport

Zhang,

Meng,

Chen

et al. 2024

Advanced Science

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Proton‐exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and water electrolysis (PEMWE) are rapidly developing hydrogen energy conversion devices. Catalyst layers and membranes have been studied extensively and reviewed. However, few studies have compared gas diffusion layers (GDLs) in PEMWE and PEMFC. This review compares the differences and similarities between the GDLs of PEMWE and PEMFC in terms of their material and mass transport characteristics. First, the GDL materials are selected based on their working conditions. Carbon materials are prone to rapid corrosion because of the high anode potential of PEMWEs. Consequently, metal materials have emerged as the primary choice for GDLs. Second, the mutual counter‐reactions of the two devices result in differences in mass transport limitations. In particular, water flooding and the effects of bubbles are major drawbacks of PEMFCs and PEMWE, respectively; well‐designed structures can solve these problems. Imaging techniques and simulations can provide a better understanding of the effects of materials and structures on mass transfer. Finally, it is anticipated that this review will assist research on GDLs of PEMWE and PEMFC.

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Liquid water transport mechanism inside fuel cells with orderly graded perforation microporous layer

Jiang,

Chen,

Han

2024

Asia-Pacific J Chem Eng

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This study aims to enhance the liquid water distribution within electrodes by innovatively designing a microporous layer (MPL) featuring orderly gradient perforations. Utilizing a multi‐component multi‐phase lattice Boltzmann model (LBM), which has been rigorously validated through contact angle measurements, Laplace pressure tests, grid independence checks, and comparisons with experimental data to ensure high predictive accuracy. The research systematically analyzes the governing liquid water transport in orderly gradient perforation MPLs. Leveraging this reliable modeling platform, the study conducts an exhaustive optimization analysis of gradient direction, gradation counts, and perforation geometry under constant porosity conditions. Findings reveal that negative gradient perforation designs significantly outperform positive gradient and conventional straight perforations, enhancing dry pore retention by at least 10.8%. Within the gradation counts, the ternary gradient structure further boosts channel retention by an additional minimum of 14.9% compared to quinary and continuous gradient structures. Moreover, cylindrical perforations demonstrate a substantial decrease surpassing spherical and square designs by at least 13.8% for liquid water saturation. Critically, the optimized model effectively inhibit the formation of saturation‐induced blockages in localized thickness regions. In conclusion, the investigation offers a robust basis for advancing MPL design strategies, targeting improved electrochemical processes and battery performance.

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Lattice Boltzmann simulation of liquid water transport inside and at interface of gas diffusion and micro-porous layers of PEM fuel cells

Cited by 72 publications

References 63 publications

Two-Phase Flow in Porous Electrodes of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Two-Phase Flow in Porous Electrodes of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Similarities and Differences between Gas Diffusion Layers Used in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell and Water Electrolysis for Material and Mass Transport

Liquid water transport mechanism inside fuel cells with orderly graded perforation microporous layer

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