Dynamic behavior modeling of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell power generation system

In this study, two schemes of solar electrical power generation are designed and compared according to solar collection area minimization. The one comprises the parabolic trough collector, dual-tank of molten salt heat storage, and Organic Rankine cycle. The other consists of photovoltaic cell, polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzer, and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The effects of irradiation value, environmental temperature, and energy storage type on thermodynamic performance were investigated. The results indicated that the solar irradiation value had a more obvious effect on the PV (photovoltaic) cell performance than environmental temperature, and the PTC (parabolic trough concentrator) performance was improved with the increases of solar irradiation value and environmental temperature. The environmental temperature effect was negligible; however, the influence of irradiation value was obvious. Irradiation value had a positive effect on the former system, whereas it demonstrated the opposite for the latter. The latter system had much lower efficiency than the former, due to the low conversion efficiency between hydrogen energy and electrical energy in the polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzer and fuel cell. Stated thus, the latter system is appropriate for the power generation system with non-energy storage, and the former system is promising in the power generation system with energy storage.

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Impact of MPL on Temperature Distribution in Single Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell with Various Thicknesses of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13102499 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 2499

Author(s):

Akira Nishimura ◽

Tatsuya Okado ◽

Yuya Kojima ◽

Masafumi Hirota ◽

Eric Hu

Keyword(s):

Power Generation ◽

Fuel Cell ◽

Temperature Distribution ◽

Polymer Electrolyte ◽

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane ◽

Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell ◽

Electrolyte Membrane ◽

The Impact ◽

Plane Temperature ◽

Power Generation Performance

The impact of micro porous layer (MPL) with various thicknesses of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) on heat and mass transfer characteristics, as well as power generation performance of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC), is investigated. The in-plane temperature distribution on cathode separator back is also measured by thermocamera. It has been found that the power generation performance is improved by the addition of MPL, especially at higher current density condition irrespective of initial temperature of cell (Tini) and relative humidity condition. However, the improvement is not obvious when the thin PEM (Nafion NRE-211; thickness of 25 μm) is used. The increase in temperature from inlet to outlet without MPL is large compared to that with MPL when using thick PEM, while the difference between without MPL and with MPL is small when using thin PEM. It has been confirmed that the addition of MPL is effective for the improvement of power generation performance of single PEFC operated at higher temperatures than normal. However, the in-plane temperature distribution with MPL is not even.

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