This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
A PEM Fuel Cell Distributed Parameters Model Aiming at Studying the Production of Liquid Water Within the Cell During its Normal Operation: Model Description, Implementation and Validation
Technical Paper
2011-01-1176
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
One of the major issues coming out from low temperature fuel cells concerns the production of water vapor as a chemical reaction (between hydrogen and oxygen) by-product and its consequent condensation (at certain operating conditions), determining the presence of an amount of liquid water affecting the performance of the fuel cell stack: the production and the quantity of liquid water are strictly influenced by boundaries and power output conditions.
Starting from this point, this work focuses on collecting all the required information available in literature and defining a suitable CFD model able to predict the production of liquid water within the fuel cell, while at the same time localizing it and determining the consequences on the PEM cell performances. This virtual test bench must be able to simulate a representative portion of a single PEM cell in order to determine the most likely operating conditions causing formation of liquid water: the objective lies in managing adequately the liquid water in order to reduce to the minimum its impact on the cell's operations, aiming at identifying liquid water accumulation mitigation strategies, such as bipolar plate shapes optimization through a Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) loop, which will be covered in future works.
The hereinafter presented model has been developed in Cd-Adapco Star-CCM+ CFD environment and interfaced directly to MATLAB routines, while choosing iSight as the overall framework and optimizer tool. It deals with stationary, three-dimensional, non-isotherm fluid-dynamics, encompassing and improving most of the previous CFD PEMFC models already available in literature; at the same time, MATLAB routines are responsible for studying and defining all the electro-chemical aspects, this giving to the user a friendly and flexible way to cover and consider thoroughly all the events involved during the operation of a fuel cell supplying any kind of electrical load.
In order to validate the overall model, a first comparison with other fluid-dynamics model has been carried out, in terms of analytical results, as well as a crossed check with some experimental results available from experiences gained over the years by the research group.
Recommended Content
Authors
Topic
Citation
Vigna Suria, O., Testa, E., Peraudo, P., and Maggiore, P., "A PEM Fuel Cell Distributed Parameters Model Aiming at Studying the Production of Liquid Water Within the Cell During its Normal Operation: Model Description, Implementation and Validation," SAE Technical Paper 2011-01-1176, 2011, https://doi.org/10.4271/2011-01-1176.Also In
References
- Springer, T.E. Zawodzinski, T.A. Gottesfled, S. “Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Model” J. Electrochem. Soc 138 8 2334 2342 1991
- Lum, K.W. McGuirk, J.J. “Three-dimensional Model of a Complete Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel-Cell Model Formulation, Validation and Parametric Studies” J. Power Sources 143 103 124 2005 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.11.032
- Su, A. Ferng, Y.M. Shin, J.C. “CFD Investigating the Effects of Different Operating Conditions on the Performance and the Characteristics of a High-Temperature PEMFC” J. Energy 35 16 27 2010 10.1016/j.energy.2009.08.033
- Dutta, S. Shimpalee, S. Van Zee, J.W. “Numerical Prediction of Mass-Exchange between Cathode and Anode Channels in PEM Fuel Cell” Int. J. of Heat and Mass Transfer 44 2029 2042 2001
- Wei, Yuan Yong, Tang Minqiang, Pan Zongtao, Li Biao, Tang “Model Prediction of Effects of Operating Parameters on Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance” J. Renewable Energy 35 656 666 2010 10.1016/j.renene.2009.08.017
- Sivertsen, B.R. Djilali, N. “CFD-Based Modelling of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells” J. Power Sources 141 65 78 2005 10.1016/jpowsour.2004.08.054
- Schwarz, D.H. Djilali, N. “Three-Dimensional Modelling of Catalyst Layers in PEM Fuel Cells: Effects of Non-Uniform Catalyst Loading” Int. J. Energy Research 33 631 644 2009 10.1002/er.1497
- Siegel, N.P. Ellis, M.W. Nelson, D.J. von Spakovsky, M.R. “A Two-Dimensional Computational Model of PEMFC with Liquid Water Transport” J. Power Sources 128 173 184 2004 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2003.09.072
- Maher, A.R. Sadiq, Al-Baghdadi “A CFD Study of Hygro-Thermal Stresses Distribution in PEM Fuel Cell During Regular Cell Operation” J. Renewable Energy 34 674 682 2009 10.1016/j.renene.2008.05.023
- Dawes, J.E. Hanspal, N.S. Family, O.A. Turan, A. “Three-Dimensional CFD Modelling of PEM Fuel Cells: An Investigation into the Effects of Water Flooding” J. Chemical Engineering Science 64 2781 2794 2009 10.1016/j.ces.2009.01.060
- Larminie, J. Dicks, A. “Fuel Cell Systems Explained” 2nd John Wiley & Sons Ltd. England 0-470-84857-X 25 61 2002
- Shallcross, D.C. “Handbook of Psychrometric Charts - Humidity diagrams for engineers” Blackie Academic & Professional, Springer 328 1997
- Hyunchul, Ju Chao-Yang, Wang “Experimental Validation of a PEM Fuel Cell Model by Current Distribution Data” J. Electrochem. Soc. 151 11 A1954 A1960 2004 10.1149/1.1805523
- Marr, C. Li, X. “Composition and Performance Modelling of Catalyst Layer in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell” J. Power Sources 77 17 27 1999
- Yim et al. “The Influence of Stack Clamping Pressure on the Performance of PEM Fuel Cell Stack” J. Current Applied Physics 10 559 561 2010 10.1016/j.cap.2009.11.042
- Nitta, I. Himanen, O. Mikkola, M. “Thermal Conductivity and Contact Resistance of Compressed Gas Diffusion Layer of PEM Fuel Cell” Fuel Cells 08 2 111 119 2008 10.1002/fuce.200700054
- Nitta, I. Himanen, O. Mikkola, M. “Contact Resistance between Gas Diffusion Layer and Catalyst Layer of PEM Fuel Cell” Electrochemistry Communications 10 47 51 2008 10.1016/j.elecom.2007.10.029
- Karimi, G. Li, X. Teertstra, P. “Measurement of Through-Plane Effective Thermal Conductivity and Contact Resistance in PEM Fuel Cell Diffusion Media” J. Electrochimica Acta 55 1619 1625 2010 10.1016/j.electacta.2009.10.035
- Zamel, N. Astrath, N.G.C. Li, X. Shen, J. Zhou, J. Astrath, F.B.G. Wang, H. Liu, Z. “Experimental Measurements of effective Diffusion Coefficient of Oxygen-Nitrogen Mixture in PEM Fuel Cell Diffusion Media” J. Chemical Engineering Science 65 931 937 2010 10.1016/j.ces.2009.09.044
- Ramousse, J. Lottin, O. Didierjean, S. Maillet, D. “Heat Sources in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells” J. Power Sources 192 435 441 2009 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.03.038
- Lee, P.H. Hwang, S.S. “Performance Characteristics of a PEM Fuel Cell with Parallel Flow Channels at Different Cathode Relative Humidity Levels” J. Sensors 2009 9 9104 9121 2009 10.3390/s91109104
- Vilekar, S.A. Datta, R. “The Effect of Hydrogen Crossover on Open-Circuit Voltage in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells” J. Power Sources 195 2241 2247 2010 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.10.023
- Gostick, J.T. Fowler, M.W. Pritzker, M.D. Ioannidis, M.A. Behra, L.M. “In-Plane and Through-Plane Gas Permeability of Carbon Fiber Electrode Backing Layers” J. Power Sources 162 228 238 2006 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2006.06.096
- Min, C.H. He, Y.L. Liu, X.L. Yin, B.H. Jiang, W. Tao, W.Q. “Parameter Sensitivity Examination and Discussion of PEM Fuel Cell Simulation Model Validation. Part II: Results of Sensitivity Analysis and Validation of the Model” J. Power Sources 160 2006 374 385 2006 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2006.01.080
- Noren, D.A. Hoffman, M.A. “Clarifying the Butler-Volmer Equation and Related Approximations for Calculating Activation Losses in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Models” J. Power sources 152 2005 175 181 2005 10.1016/j.jpowosur.2005.03.174
- Dutta, S. Shimpalee, S. Van Zee, J.W. “Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Straight Channel PEM Fuel Cells” J. Applied Electrochemistry 30 135 146 2000
- Cheddie, D. Munroe, N. “Review and Comparison of Approaches to Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Modeling” J. Power Sources 147 2005 72 84 2005 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2005.01.003