Measurement and Prediction of Electrical Contact Resistance Between Gas Diffusion Layers and Bipolar Plate for Applications to PEM Fuel Cells

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Mishra ◽  
F. Yang ◽  
R. Pitchumani

The electrical contact resistance between gas diffusion layers and bipolar flow channel plates is one of the important factors contributing to the operational voltage loss in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Effective analysis and design of fuel cells therefore need to account for the contact resistance in deriving the polarization curve for the cell. Despite its significance, relatively scant work is reported in the open literature on the measurement and modeling of the contact resistance in fuel cell systems, and the present work aims to fill this void. Experimental data are reported for the first time to show the effects of different gas diffusion layer materials and contact pressure on the electrical contact resistance. A fractal asperity based model is adopted to predict the contact resistance as a function of pressure, material properties, and surface geometry. Good agreement is observed between the data and the model predictions for a wide range of contacting pressures and materials.

Author(s):  
V. Mishra ◽  
F. Yang ◽  
R. Pitchumani

The electrical contact resistance between gas diffusion layers and bi-polar flow channel plates is one of the important factors contributing to the operational voltage loss in fuel cells. Effective analysis and design of fuel cells therefore need to account for the contact resistance in deriving the polarization curve for the cell. Despite its significance, relatively scant work is reported in the open literature on the measurement and modeling of the contact resistance in fuel cell systems, and the present work aims to fill this void. Experimental data are reported for the first time to show the effects of different gas diffusion layer materials and contact pressure on the electrical contact resistance. A fractal asperity based model is adopted to predict the contact resistance as a function of pressure, material properties, and surface geometry. Good agreement is observed between the data and the model predictions for a wide range of contacting pressures and materials.


Author(s):  
Yuan Gao

This study is using the multiple relaxation time Lattice Boltzmann method to calculate the permeability of carbon fiber paper and carbon fiber cloth gas diffusion layers (GDL). The 3D gas diffusion layers are generated by X-ray computed tomography, This method involve generation of 3D digital model of gas diffusion layers acquired through X-ray micro-tomography at resolution of a few micros. The reconstructed 3D images were then read into the LBM model to calculate the anisotropic permeability of carbon fiber paper and carbon fiber cloth GDL. We investigated the relationships between the anisotropic permeability and porosity and compare the difference between the two different kinds of GDLs when they have the similar porosity. We also calculate the permeability with different viscosity and compare the two results from the carbon fiber paper and carbon fiber cloth. It is useful for selection of materials for high performance gas diffusion media and can improve the performance of the fuel cells.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 1123-1132
Author(s):  
Vesna Stanic ◽  
Jason Tatalovich

Author(s):  
Hamidreza Sadeghifar ◽  
Ned Djilali ◽  
Majid Bahrami

Through-plane thermal conductivity of 14 SIGRACET gas diffusion layers (GDLs), including series 24 & 34, as well as 25 & 35, are measured under different compressive pressures, ranging from 2 to 14 bar, at the temperature of around 60 °C. The effect of compression, PTFE loadings, and micro porous layer (MPL) on thermal conductivity of the GDLs and their contact resistance with an iron clamping surface is experimentally investigated. The contact resistance of MPL coated on GDL with the substrate of that GDL is measured for the first time in this paper. A new robust mechanistic model is presented for predicting the through-plane thermal conductivity of GDLs treated with PTFE and is successfully verified with the present experimental data. The model can predict the experimentally-observed reduction in thermal conductivity as a result of PTFE treatment and provides detailed insights on performance modeling of PEMFCs.


Fuel Cells ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 382-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Parikh ◽  
J. S. Allen ◽  
R. S. Yassar

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