The Impact of Reaction on the Effective Properties of Multiscale Catalytic Porous Media: A Case of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 128 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiangjin Liu ◽  
Pablo A. García-Salaberri ◽  
Iryna V. Zenyuk
Keyword(s):  
Porous Media ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte ◽  
Effective Properties ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells ◽  
The Impact

Porous Materials as Fluid Distributors in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells: A Computational Performance Analysis

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Senn ◽  
D. Poulikakos
Keyword(s):  
Mass Transfer ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte ◽  
Reaction Rates ◽  
Flow Fields ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Strong Argument ◽  
Computational Performance ◽  
The Impact

Commonly used ribbed flow-fields such as parallel and serpentine flow-fields in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) exhibit limited mass transfer to the part of the diffusion and catalyst layer which is not covered by flow channels, leading to a considerably reduced reactant concentration and increased overpotential losses under the current collector shoulders. In this study, a novel concept is investigated, according to which the traditional ribbed flow delivery systems are replaced with permeable porous fluid distributors, which circumvent drawbacks such as those mentioned earlier. A complex mathematical model, including the conservation of mass, momentum, energy, species and electric current, using Butler-Volmer kinetics for electrochemical reaction rates, is numerically solved in three dimensions, to investigate the impact of different flow configurations on the performance of hydrogen fuel cells. It is found that cells with porous gas distributors generate substantially higher current densities and therefore are more advantageous with respect to mass transfer. Reduction in stack weight is another strong argument for using porous flow distributors in future applications.

scholarly journals Simulation of 3D Porous Media Flows with Application to Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 851-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. I. Prasianakis ◽  
T. Rosén ◽  
J. Kang ◽  
J. Eller ◽  
J. Mantzaras ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Porous Media ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte ◽  
Model Simulation ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Effective Diffusivity ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells ◽  
Porous Media Flows ◽  
Media Flows

AbstractA 3D lattice Boltzmann (LB) model with twenty-seven discrete velocities is presented and used for the simulation of three-dimensional porous media flows. Its accuracy in combination with the half-way bounce back boundary condition is assessed. Characteristic properties of the gas diffusion layers that are used in polymer electrolyte fuel cells can be determined with this model. Simulation in samples that have been obtained via X-ray tomographic microscopy, allows to estimate the values of permeability and relative effective diffusivity. Furthermore, the computational LB results are compared with the results of other numerical tools, as well as with experimental values.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document