Liquid water transport inside proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells is one of the key challenges for water management in a PEM fuel cell. Investigation of the air-water flow patterns inside fuel cell gas flow channels with gas diffusion layer (GDL) would provide valuable information that could be used in fuel cell design and optimization. This paper presents an accelerated numerical investigation of air-water flow across a GDL with a serpentine channel on PEM fuel cell cathode by use of a commercial computational fluid dynamics software package FLUENT. Detailed flow patterns with air-water across the porous media were investigated and discussed.
1.
Larminie
, J.
, and Dicks
, A.
, 2000, Fuel Cell Systems Explained
, 2nd ed., Wiley
, New York
, Chap. 4.2.
Yi
, J. S.
, Yang
, J. D.
, and King
, C.
, 2004, “Water Management Along the Flow Channels of PEM Fuel Cells
,” AIChE J.
0001-1541, 50
(10
), pp. 2594
–2603
.3.
Dutta
, S.
, Shimpalee
, S.
, and Van Zee
, J. W.
, 2000, “Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Straight Channel PEM Fuel Cells
,” J. Appl. Electrochem.
0021-891X, 30
(2
), pp. 135
–146
.4.
Hontanon
, E.
, Escudero
, M. J.
, Bautista
, C.
, Garcia-Ybarra
, P. L.
, and Daza
, L.
, 2000, “Optimisation of Flow-Field in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Techniques
,” J. Power Sources
0378-7753, 86
(1–2
), pp. 363
–368
.5.
Cha
, S. W.
, O’Hayre
, R.
, Saito
, Y.
, and Prinz
, F. B.
, 2004, “The Scaling Behavior of Flow Patterns: A Model Investigation
,” J. Power Sources
0378-7753, 134
(1
), pp. 57
–71
.6.
Kulikovsky
, A. A.
, 2001, “Numerical Simulation of a New Operational Regime for a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell
,” Electrochem. Commun.
1388-2481, 3
(8
), pp. 460
–466
.7.
You
, L.
, and Liu
, H.
, 2002, “A Two-Phase Flow and Transport Model for the Cathode of PEM Fuel Cells
,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer
0017-9310, 45
(11
), pp. 2277
–2287
.8.
Yang
, X. G.
, Zhang
, F. Y.
, Lubawy
, A. L.
, and Wang
, C. Y.
, 2004, “Visualization of Liquid Water Transport in a PEFC
,” Electrochem. Solid-State Lett.
1099-0062, 7
(11
), pp. A408
–A411
.9.
Quan
, P.
, Zhou
, B.
, Sobiesiak
, A.
, and Liu
, Z.
, 2006, “Water Behavior in Serpentine Micro-Channel for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Cathode
,” J. Power Sources
0378-7753, 152
pp. 131
–145
.10.
Jiao
, K.
, Zhou
, B.
, and Quan
, P.
, 2006, “Liquid Water Transport in Parallel Serpentine Channels With Manifolds on Cathode Side of a PEM Fuel Cell Stack
,” J. Power Sources
0378-7753, 154
, pp. 124
–137
.11.
Jiao
, K.
, Zhou
, B.
, and Quan
, P.
, 2006, “Liquid Water Transport in Micro-Parallel-Channels With Manifolds for PEM Fuel Cell Stack
,” J. Power Sources
0378-7753, 157
, pp. 226
–243
.12.
Nam
, J. H.
, and Kaviany
, M.
, 2003, “Effective Diffusivity and Water-Saturation Distribution in Single- and Two-Layer PEMFC Diffusion Medium
,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer
0017-9310, 46
(24
), pp. 4595
–4611
.13.
Dohle
, H.
, Jung
, R.
, Kimiaie
, N.
, Mergel
, J.
, and Muller
, M.
, 2003, “Interaction Between the Diffusion Layer and the Flow Field of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells—Experiments and Simulation Studies
,” J. Power Sources
0378-7753, 124
(2
), pp. 371
–384
.14.
Pasaogullari
, U.
, and Wang
, C.
, 2004, “Two-Phase Transport and the Role of Micro-Porous Layer in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells
,” Electrochim. Acta
0013-4686, 49
(25
), pp. 4359
–4369
.15.
Freni
, S.
, Maggio
, G.
, and Passalacqua
, E.
, 1997, “Modeling of Porous Membranes for Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells
,” Mater. Chem. Phys.
0254-0584, 48
(3
), pp. 199
–206
.16.
LuValle
, M. J.
, 1999, “An Approximate Kinetic Theory for Accelerated Testing
,” IIE Trans.
0740-817X, 31
, pp. 1147
–1156
.17.
Shyur
, H.
, Elsayed
, E. A.
, and Luxhoj
, J. T.
, 1999, “A General Model for Accelerated Life Testing With Time-Dependent Covariates
,” Naval Res. Logistics Quart.
0894-069X, 46
, pp. 303
–321
.18.
Shyur
, H.
, Elsayed
, E. A.
, and Luxhoj
, J. T.
, 1999, “A General Hazard Regression Model for Accelerated Life Test
,” Ann. Operat. Res.
0254-5330, 91
, pp. 263
–280
.19.
Magari
, R. T.
, 2002, “Estimating Degradation in Real Time and Accelerated Stability Tests With Random Lot-to-Lot Variation: A Simulation Study
,” J. Pharm. Sci.
0022-3549, 91
(3
), pp. 893
–899
.20.
Mendez-Sanchez
, N.
, Cutright
, T. J.
, and Qiao
, P.
, 2004, “Accelerated Weathering and Biodegradation of E-Glass Polyester Composites
,” Int. Biodeter. Biodegrad.
0964-8305, 54
, pp. 289
–296
.21.
Hicks
, M.
, and Atanasoski
, R.
, 2005, “3M MEA Durability Under Accelerated Testing
,” Presentation, Fuel Cells Durability Conference
, Washington, DC
, Dec. 8–9.22.
Zhou
, B.
, Huang
, W.
, Zong
, Y.
, and Sobiesiak
, A.
, 2006, “Water and Pressure Effects on a Single PEM Fuel Cell
,” J. Power Sources
0378-7753, 155
, pp. 190
–202
.23.
Fluent 6.1 User’s Guide, 2003, Fluent Inc.
24.
Soong
, C.
, Yan
, W.
, Tseng
, C.
, Liu
, H.
, Chen
, F.
, and Chu
, H.
, 2005, “Analysis of Reactant Gas Transport in a PEM Fuel Cell With Partially Blocked Fuel Flow Channels
,” J. Power Sources
0378-7753, 143
(1-2
), pp. 36
–47
.Copyright © 2008
by American Society of Mechanical Engineers
You do not currently have access to this content.