Performance enhancement of air-breathing proton exchange membrane fuel cell through utilization of an effective self-humidifying platinum–carbon catalyst

2010 ◽  
Vol 195 (24) ◽  
pp. 8044-8051 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chee Kok Poh ◽  
Zhiqun Tian ◽  
Narissara Bussayajarn ◽  
Zhe Tang ◽  
Fabing Su ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Carbon Catalyst ◽  
Air Breathing ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Flooding Visualization and Enhanced Water Management in PEM Fuel Cell

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyung Hee Cho ◽  
Sanghoon Lee ◽  
Dong-Ho Rhee
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Flow Channels ◽  
Concentration Loss ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Internal water management in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell has been considered as one of most significant key factors for its performance enhancement. It is because relative humidity of hydrogen and air is strongly related to the performance of PEM fuel cell in terms of H+ movement within the membrane. In addition, production of H2O by chemical reactions can bring several problems during concentration loss region since combination of vapor in supplying air and byproduct of chemical reaction should lead to excess H2O remaining in PEM fuel cell, resulting flooding phenomena which may block air flow channels. Therefore, in order to understand and manage such phenomena to enhance the performance of PEM fuel cell, especially under concentration loss region, this paper focuses on the visualization of the flooding phenomena and application of the modified flow path on the cathode separator for flooding reduction.

Innovative Design of an Air-Breathing Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell With a Piezoelectric Device

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsiao-Kang Ma ◽  
Shih-Han Huang
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Catalyst Layer ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Innovative Design ◽  
Current Output ◽  
Air Breathing ◽  
Piezoelectric Device ◽  
Exchange Membrane

This paper presents a three-dimensional transitional model to describe an innovative design for an air-breathing proton exchange membrane fuel cell (AB-PEMFC) with a microdiaphragm actuated by a piezoelectric device. This newly designed gas pump with a piezoelectric actuation structure is utilized as an air-flow channel in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system called PZT-PEMFC. When the actuator moves in the outward direction to increase the cathode channel volume, the air is sucked into the chamber: inward movement decreases channel volume and thereby compresses air into the catalyst layer and enhances the chemical reaction. The air-standard PZT-PEMFC cycle coupling with fuel∕air ratio is proposed to describe an air-breathing PZT-PEMFC. The model is able to simulate its major phenomena and performance in different fuel∕air ratio and PZT frequency. The results show that the PZT actuation leads to a more stable current output, more drained water, stronger suction, and overcome concentration losses at a proper PZT frequency.

Performance Enhancement in Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell for Cathode Pulsating Flow

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun Ho Kim ◽  
Hun Sik Han ◽  
Seo Young Kim ◽  
Gwang Hoon Rhee
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Current Density ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Pulsating Flow ◽  
Limiting Current ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Limiting Current Density ◽  
Exchange Membrane

The effect of cathode flow pulsation on the performance enhancement of a 10-cell proton-exchange membrane fuel cell is investigated. We perform the experiment using two pulsation devices. One pulsation device, i.e., acoustic woofer, generates a pulsating flow, which is added to a unidirectional flow supplied from a compressed air tank. The other pulsation device is a crankshaft system that produces a pure oscillatory flow without mean flow. In the case of cathode pulsating flow with mean flow, the fuel cell power output and the limiting current density dramatically increase as pulsating frequency increases at given pulsating amplitude, while the fuel cell efficiency slightly decreases. This result is contributed that the pulsating flow enhances the dispersion inside the cathode channels, and then improving the oxygen and temperature distributions. This performance enhancement by cathode pulsating flow is more distinct at low cathode mean flow rates. In the case of cathode pulsating flow without mean flow, the fuel cell stack is operated despite cathode mean flow is absent. The limiting current density is extended as the pulsating frequency and swept distance (amplitude) increase. When the pulsating frequency and swept distance are 2.38Hz and 13.65mm respectively, the fuel cell performance is equal to that the cathode mean flow rate is 1.29 lpm. Also, the case of pulsating flow is more stable at the concentration loss region than the case of non-pulsating flow for the same performance conditions.

Performance improvement of air-breathing proton exchange membrane fuel cell stacks by thermal management

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (42) ◽  
pp. 22324-22339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Mon Yan ◽  
Ming-Shiang Zeng ◽  
Tien-Fu Yang ◽  
Chen-Yu Chen ◽  
Mohammad Amani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Thermal Management ◽  
Performance Improvement ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Air Breathing ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Mass Transports in an Air-Breathing Cathode of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Hwang ◽  
W. R. Chang ◽  
C. H. Chao ◽  
F. B. Weng ◽  
A. Su
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Mass Transport ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Air Breathing ◽  
Coupled Equations ◽  
Porous Cathode ◽  
Porous Cathodes ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Mass transport in an air-breathing cathode of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell was investigated numerically. The porous cathode in contact with a perforated current collector breathes fresh air through an array of orifices. The diffusions of reactant species in the porous cathodes are described using the Stefan–Maxwell equation. The electrochemical reaction on the surfaces of the porous cathode is modeled using the Butler–Volmer equation. Gas flow in the air-breathing porous cathodes is described using isotropic linear resistance model with constant porosity and permeability. The electron/ion transports in the catalyst/electrolyte are handled using charge conservation based on Ohm’s law. A finite-element scheme is adopted to solve these coupled equations. The effects of electrode porosity (0.4<ε<0.6) on the fluid flow, mass transport, and electrochemistry are examined. Detailed electrochemical/mass characteristics, such as flow velocities, species mass fraction, species flux, and current density distributions are presented. These details provide a solid basis for optimizing the geometry of a PEM fuel cell stack that is run in passive mode.

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