Supercooling release of micro-size water droplets on microporous surfaces with cooling

Park, Chunwan; Kang, Chang-Ho

doi:10.1007/s12206-012-0403-x

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Almost all of the above-mentioned damages to the MEA are related to water in the fuel cell and are caused by freeze/thaw cycles or the cold start operation; therefore, researchers have attempted to study the water phase states, phase changes [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ], water transport models [ 23 , 24 , 25 ], liquid and ice distribution [ 26 , 27 ], and other behaviors of water in fuel cells at subzero temperatures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…C.W. Park et al [ 20 ] reported their work on the supercooling release of micro-sized water droplets on GDL surfaces with cooling. It was found that the average supercooling degrees of water droplets decreased as the size of water droplets increased from 6 μL to 15 and 30 μL on the hydrophobic GDL surface, while they increased from 6.9 K to 7.5 and 10.1 K as the PTFE coating rate of the GDL increased from 0% to 40% and 60% PTFE contents, respectively.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Two-Dimensional Simulation of the Freezing Characteristics in PEMFCs during Cold Start Considering Ice Crystallization Kinetics

et al. 2022

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Cold start is one of the major issues that hinders the commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this study, a 2D transient multi-physics model is developed to simulate the cold start processes in a PEMFC. The phase change between water vapor, liquid water, and ice in the catalyst layers (CLs), micro porous layer (MPLs), and gas diffusion layers (GDLs) is also investigated, particularly the effect of ice crystallization kinetics when supercooled liquid water changes into ice. The factors affecting the different operating conditions and structural features of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) are investigated. The results show that when the start temperature is −20 °C or higher, ice formation is delayed and the formation rate is decreased, and supercooled liquid water permeates from the CL into the MPL. For an MEA with relatively high hydrophobicity, the water permeation rate is high. These results can enable a PEMFC to start at subzero temperatures. The effect of ice crystallization kinetics is negligible when the fuel cell is started at −30 °C or below.

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