Thermodynamic model for an alkaline fuel cell

Verhaert, Ivan; Paepe, Michel De; Mulder, G.

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.02.095

Cited by 49 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Table 1 gives an overview of the molar and energy flows shown in figure 2. New elements in this model, compared to earlier work [11] are…”

Section: General Equation and Model Assumptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, their model does not provide any prediction on fuel cell performance. In earlier work a model was presented predicting both electrical performance and thermal behaviour [11]. This model will be used as a starting point to include the water management of the fuel cell.…”

Section: Overview Of Afc Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After the fuel cell, all these streams are collected in one reservoir, where eventually at nominal working point, the air flow is responsible for the disposal of water (vapour). Therefore in a first approach the water removal is modelled to happen in the gas streams [11].…”

Section: Overview Of Afc Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…• The temperature is assumed to be uniform in each control volume and all output flows have this temperature, which is similar to the approach in [11,17].…”

Section: General Equation and Model Assumptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To optimise the overall system of an AFC-based micro-CHP for buildings it is necessary to understand the complete thermodynamic behaviour of the fuel cell. In previous work a model of an alkaline fuel cell was built in Aspen Custom Modeller [11]. The model combined prediction of electrical performance and thermal behaviour, but had no interest in water management, since re-concentrating the electrolyte solution can be easily implemented into the AFC-system, compared to the complex water management within PEMFC [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Water management in an alkaline fuel cell

Verhaert

Verhelst

Janssen³

et al. 2011

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

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Alkaline fuel cells are low temperature fuel cells for which stationary applications, like cogeneration in buildings, are a promising market. To guarantee a long life, water and thermal management has to be controlled in a careful way.To understand the water, alkali and thermal flows, a model for an alkaline fuel cell module is developed using a control volume approach. Special attention is given to the physical flow of hydrogen, water and air in the system and the diffusion laws are used to gain insight in the water management. The model is validated on the prediction of the electrical performance and thermal behaviour.The positive impact of temperature on fuel cell performance is shown. New in this model is the inclusion of the water management, for which an extra validation is performed. The model shows that a minimum temperature has to be reached to maintain the electrolyte concentration. Increasing temperature for better performance without reducing the electrolyte concentration is possible with humidified hot air.

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“…Table 1 gives an overview of the molar and energy flows shown in figure 2. New elements in this model, compared to earlier work [11] are…”

Section: General Equation and Model Assumptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Overview Of Afc Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Overview Of Afc Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…• The temperature is assumed to be uniform in each control volume and all output flows have this temperature, which is similar to the approach in [11,17].…”

Section: General Equation and Model Assumptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Water management in an alkaline fuel cell

Verhaert

Verhelst

Janssen³

et al. 2011

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

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Electrocatalysts for Alkaline Polymer Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells – Overview

Jiang¹,

Chu²

2014

Non‐Noble Metal Fuel Cell Catalysts

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Alkaline Fuel Cells with Novel Gortex‐Based Electrodes are Powered Remarkably Efficiently by Methane Containing 5% Hydrogen

Wagner

Tiwari

Swiegers

et al. 2017

Advanced Energy Materials

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hydrogen. [1] This is likely to be less than 10% by volume as this is the maximum that natural gas pipelines can accommodate without downstream engineering modifications. [1] Natural gas is primarily composed of methane (CH 4 ), but also contains quantities of ethane, propane, and heavier hydrocarbons. [1] If the hydrogen-enriched natural gas streams of P2G could be used to generate electricity, then this would provide additional economic benefits. A hydrogenoxygen fuel cell capable of doing so would, however, need to be successfully and sustainably fueled by the low levels of hydrogen present. That is, the fuel cell would have to be capable of utilizing the <10% hydrogen blend as a fuel. The most widely used class of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell at present is the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. Studies have demonstrated that methane acts an inert gas when fed through the anode of a PEM. [2a,b] PEM fuel cells have, moreover, been shown to be capable of generating electrical power when fueled with a blend of 5% hydrogen in nitrogen (N 2 ), [2c] which also acts as an inert gas in such cells. However, at such high dilutions, PEM fuel cells are known to experience significant resistances arising from proton diffusion limitations due to the solid-state PEM electrolyte and its interface with the solid catalysts. [2d] Thus, for example, the charge transfer resistance in a PEM fuel cell increased from 330 mΩ cm 2 when fueled with pure hydrogen, to 780 mΩ cm 2 when the hydrogen was diluted to 5% by volume with nitrogen-a 240% increase (all feedstock gases humidified to 91%). [2c] It is perhaps for this reason that PEM fuel cells capable of operating with 5-10% hydrogen in methane do not appear to have ever been proposed or studied.Another reason may involve the need to humidify feedstock gases in PEM fuel cells in order to maintain the conductivity of the proton exchange membrane. Natural gas transported by pipeline is routinely extremely dry. [1] If a PEM fuel cell were used to extract electricity from hydrogen-enriched natural gas, then the gas would first have to be humidified before entering the cell. It may then also have to be dehumidified after leaving the cell and before re-entering the natural gas pipeline.An alternative class of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell is the alkaline fuel cell (AFC). AFCs were one of the first fuel cell technologies applied to practical power generation, with applications in Numerous electric and gas utilities are actively pursuing "power-to-gas" technology, which involves using unwanted, excess renewable energy to manufacture hydrogen gas (H 2 ) that is then injected into the existing natural gas pipeline network in 5-10% by volume. This work reports an alkaline fuel cell that has the potential to harness such gas mixtures for downstream generation of electric power. The fuel cell, which employs novel Gortex-based electrodes layered with Pd/Pt catalysts, generates electricity remarkably efficiently when fuelled with methane (CH 4 ) containing 5% hydrogen. Methane constitutes ...

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Thermodynamic model for an alkaline fuel cell

Cited by 49 publications

References 17 publications

Water management in an alkaline fuel cell

Water management in an alkaline fuel cell

Electrocatalysts for Alkaline Polymer Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells – Overview

Alkaline Fuel Cells with Novel Gortex‐Based Electrodes are Powered Remarkably Efficiently by Methane Containing 5% Hydrogen

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