Use of neutron imaging for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) performance analysis and design

Abstract

100 Combined neutron imaging with current distribution enabled correlation between local performance and hydration condition. Hickner et al. [37] 2008a NIST 50 Correlation of water distribution to local cathode flow and temperature conditions. Hickner et al. [38] 2008b NIST 16.2 High-resolution imaging of water gradients normal to MEA. Turhan et al. [39] 2008 PSU 50 Effects of channel dimensions and land-to-channel width ratio on quantity of retained water. Ueda et al. [40] 2008 JAERI/KURRI 25 Correlation of channel-level water in anode and cathode to cell voltage performance. Owejan et al. [41] 2008 NIST 50 Water distributions under relatively cold operating conditions, and dynamics of cathode air purge.

Visualization of Fuel Cell Water Transport and Performance Characterization under Freezing Conditions

“…Also, published data were used to select "optimal" geometrical features, such as the flow field channel cross-section. The apparatus was designed specifically for application of the neutron imaging method for vizualization of liquid water accumulation and dynamics at the scale of the flow field channels and gas diffusion layers [27,28,116].…”

Applications of neutron imaging and future possibilities

“…There has been a sustained effort to understand water transport phenomena in PEMFCs [1]. Suffi cient membrane hydration is required for effi cient high power production operation, but water entrained elsewhere impedes reactant fl ow and can result in degradation.…”

High-Temperature Liquid Metal Transport Physics of Capillary Pumping Heat Transport System (CPHTS) Research: Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Evaporating Liquid Metal Thin Film

“…1-A shows that the neutron wave scattering cross sections decrease to a greater or lesser extent with increasing material densities. Thus, neutron radiography allows highly effective visualization of the dynamics of the fluid in the metal environment while there are minimal to no changes in the thermal properties of the overall system [1][2][3]. For example, the water contained in Asiatic lilies provides the fine details for its neutron image even in a lead cask ( Fig.…”