A Dynamic Model of a Shipboard PEM Fuel Cell Reformer System With an Integrated Gas Turbine

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven P. Miller ◽  
John M. Heinzel ◽  
John H. Kuseian ◽  
Donald J. Hoffman ◽  
Edward M. House ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Dynamic Model ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Gas ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Hydrogen Yield ◽  
Turbine Engine ◽  
Air Supply

A dynamic model is presented that predicts the transient characteristics of an integrated autothermal fuel reformer and gas turbine engine for extracting a high purity stream of hydrogen from logistical fuels such as F76 marine diesel or JP-5 for use in a shipboard proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell power plant. The model incorporates a water-gas shift reactor for increasing hydrogen yield, and a separation membrane for extracting a pure stream of hydrogen gas from the reformer output. Compressed air supply and energy recovery is achieved by an integrated gas turbine generator. The dynamic model serves as a testing ground for the development of control methodologies and to predict limitations in transient response during electrical load variations.

Theoretical Analysis on the Autothermal Reforming Process of Ethanol as Fuel for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell System

2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 468-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Perna
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Cell System ◽  
Autothermal Reforming ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Hydrogen Yield ◽  
Fuel Cell System ◽  
Exchange Membrane

The purpose of this work is to investigate, by a thermodynamic analysis, the effects of the process variables on the performance of an autothermal reforming (ATR)-based fuel processor, operating on ethanol as fuel, integrated into an overall proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system. This analysis has been carried out finding the better operating conditions to maximize hydrogen yield and to minimize CO carbon monoxide production. In order to evaluate the overall efficiency of the system, PEM fuel cell operations have been analyzed by an available parametric model.

Effect of Gravity on Droplet Growth and Detachment Inside a Simulated PEM Fuel Cell Air Flow Channel With Hydrophobic Walls

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andres Munoz ◽  
Abhijit Mukherjee
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Air Flow ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Air Supply ◽  
Supply Channel ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Water management still remains a challenge for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Byproduct water formed in the cathode side of the membrane is wicked to the air supply channel through the gas diffusion layer. Water emerges into the air supply channel as droplets, which are then removed by the air stream. When the rate of water production is higher than the rate of water removal, droplets start to accumulate and coalesce with each other forming slugs consequently clogging the channels and causing poor fuel cell performance. It has been shown in previous experiments that rendering the channels hydrophobic or super-hydrophobic cause water droplets to be removed faster, not allowing time to coalesce, and therefore making channels less prone to flooding. In this numerical study we analyze water droplet growth and detachment from a simulated hydrophobic air supply channel inside a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. In these numerical simulations the Navier-Stokes equations are solved using the SIMPLER method coupled with the level set technique in order to track the liquid-vapor interface. The effect of the gravity field acting in the −y, −x, and +x directions was examined for an array of water flow rates and air flow rates. Detachment times and diameters were computed. The results showed no significant effect of the gravity field acting in the three different directions as expected since the Bond and Capillary numbers are relatively small. The maximum variations in detachment time and diameter were found to be 8.8 and 4.2 percent, respectively, between the horizontal channel and the vertical channel with gravity acting in the negative x direction, against the air flow. Droplet detachment was more significantly affected by the air and water flow rates.

scholarly journals Proton Exchange Membrane Hydrogen Fuel Cell as the Grid Connected Power Generator

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 6679
Author(s):  
Koushik Ahmed ◽  
Omar Farrok ◽  
Md Mominur Rahman ◽  
Md Sawkat Ali ◽  
Md Mejbaul Haque ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Current Control ◽  
Hydrogen Gas ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Fuel Supply ◽  
Air Supply ◽  
Electrical Generator ◽  
Exchange Membrane

In this paper, a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is implemented as a grid-connected electrical generator that uses hydrogen gas as fuel and air as an oxidant to produce electricity through electrochemical reactions. Analysis demonstrated that the performance of the PEMFC greatly depends on the rate of fuel supply and air supply pressure. Critical fuel and air supply pressures of the PEMFC are analysed to test its feasibility for the grid connection. Air and fuel supply pressures are varied to observe the effects on the PEMFC characteristics, efficiency, fuel supply, and air consumption over time. The PEMFC model is then implemented into an electrical power system with the aid of power electronics applications. Detailed mathematical modelling of the PEMFC is discussed with justification. The PEMFC functions as an electrical generator that is connected to the local grid through a power converter and a transformer. Modulation of the converter is controlled by means of a proportional-integral controller. The two-axis control methodology is applied to the current control of the system. The output voltage waveform and control actions of the controller on the current and frequency of the proposed system are plotted as well. Simulation results show that the PEMFC performs efficiently under certain air and fuel pressures, and it can effectively supply electrical power to the grid.

Development of a Proof-of-Concept Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Powered Scooter

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgiy Diloyan ◽  
Luis Breziner ◽  
Parsaoran Hutapea
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Rear Wheel ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Fuel Cell Stack ◽  
Brushless Motor ◽  
Air Supply ◽  
In Series ◽  
Exchange Membrane

The objective of this project is to develop a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell powered scooter with a designed digital controller to regulate the air supply to PEM fuel cell stack. A 500-Watt (W) electric power train was chosen as a platform for the scooter. Two 300 W PEM fuel cell systems, each containing 63 cells, were used to charge 48-Volt batteries that powered an electric motor. The energy carrier (hydrogen) was stored in two metal hydride tanks, each one containing 85 gs of hydrogen pressurized to 250 psig. The output hydrogen pressure from each tank was maintained at 5.8 psi by a two-stage pressure regulator, and then delivered to each fuel cell stack. To regulate the voltage of each PEM fuel cell under different load conditions, two step down DC/DC converters were used. These converters were connected in series to power the motor controller and charge the batteries. The batteries then supplied power to the 500 W brushless motor mounted to the hub of the rear wheel to save space. After all modifications were completed, most of the parts of the scooter stayed the same except for the panel under the seat—where larger space is needed for accommodating the hydrogen tanks. The weight of the scooter did not change significantly, because the weight of the hydrogen tanks (6.5 kg each) and fuel cell stacks (1.7 kg each) was partially compensated by replacing the batteries from the old ones that weighed 17.5 kg to new ones that weighed 9 kg.

scholarly journals An Artificial Intelligence Solution for Predicting Short-Term Degradation Behaviors of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 6348
Author(s):  
Zijun Yang ◽  
Bowen Wang ◽  
Xia Sheng ◽  
Yupeng Wang ◽  
Qiang Ren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Activation Function ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Cell Performance ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Degradation Behaviors ◽  
Hidden Layer ◽  
Exchange Membrane

The dead-ended anode (DEA) and anode recirculation operations are commonly used to improve the hydrogen utilization of automotive proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The cell performance will decline over time due to the nitrogen crossover and liquid water accumulation in the anode. Highly efficient prediction of the short-term degradation behaviors of the PEM fuel cell has great significance. In this paper, we propose a data-driven degradation prediction method based on multivariate polynomial regression (MPR) and artificial neural network (ANN). This method first predicts the initial value of cell performance, and then the cell performance variations over time are predicted to describe the degradation behaviors of the PEM fuel cell. Two cases of degradation data, the PEM fuel cell in the DEA and anode recirculation modes, are employed to train the model and demonstrate the validation of the proposed method. The results show that the mean relative errors predicted by the proposed method are much smaller than those by only using the ANN or MPR. The predictive performance of the two-hidden-layer ANN is significantly better than that of the one-hidden-layer ANN. The performance curves predicted by using the sigmoid activation function are smoother and more realistic than that by using rectified linear unit (ReLU) activation function.

3-D Model of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianhong Zhou ◽  
Hongtan Liu
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Three Dimensional Model ◽  
Chemical Reaction Kinetics ◽  
Fuel Cell Performance ◽  
D Model

Abstract A comprehensive three-dimensional model for a proton exchanger membrane (PEM) fuel cell is developed to evaluate the effects of various design and operating parameters on fuel cell performance. The geometrical model includes two distinct flow channels separated by the membrane and electrode assembly (MEA). This model is developed by coupling the governing equations for reactant mass transport and chemical reaction kinetics. To facilitate the numerical solution, the full PEM fuel cell was divided into three coupled domains according to the flow characteristics. The 3-D model has been applied to study species transport, heat transfer, and current density distributions within a fuel cell. The predicated polarization behavior is shown to compare well with experimental data from the literature. The modeling results demonstrate good potential for this computational model to be used in operation simulation as well as design optimization.

STUDY ON THE OPTIMIZATION FOR THE SIZE OF FUEL CELL FLOW FIELD UNDER INADEQUATE AIR SUPPLY CONDITION

Química Nova ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shi Lei ◽  
Zheng Minggang
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Field Size ◽  
Air Supply ◽  
Supply Condition ◽  
Length Width ◽  
Exchange Membrane

In this paper, the influence of the optimization for flow field size on the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) performance under the inadequate air supply of cathode was studied based on the three-dimensional, steady-state, and constant temperature PEMFC monomer model. Additionally, the effect of the optimization for hybrid factors, including length, width, depth and width-depth, on the PEMFC performance was also investigated. The results showed that the optimization of the flow field size can improve the performance of the PEMFC and ensure that it is close to the level under the normal gas supply.

The Effect of Inlet Parameters on Fluid Flow and Cell Performance at Cathode of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Utku Gulan ◽  
Hasmet Turkoglu ◽  
Irfan Ar
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Density ◽  
Current Density ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Catalyst Layer ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Exchange Membrane ◽  
Oxygen Mole Fraction

In this study, the fluid flow and cell performance in cathode side of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell were numerically analyzed. The problem domain consists of cathode gas channel, cathode gas diffusion layer, and cathode catalyst layer. The equations governing the motion of air, concentration of oxygen, and electrochemical reactions were numerically solved. A computer program was developed based on control volume method and SIMPLE algorithm. The mathematical model and program developed were tested by comparing the results of numerical simulations with the results from literature. Simulations were performed for different values of inlet Reynolds number and inlet oxygen mole fraction at different operation temperatures. Using the results of these simulations, the effects of these parameters on the flow, oxygen concentration distribution, current density and power density were analyzed. The simulations showed that the oxygen concentration in the catalyst layer increases with increasing Reynolds number and hence the current density and power density of the PEM fuel cell also increases. Analysis of the data obtained from simulations also shows that current density and power density of the PEM fuel cell increases with increasing operation temperature. It is also observed that increasing the inlet oxygen mole fraction increases the current density and power density.

Pore Structure Modeling of Flow in Gas Diffusion Layers of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhongying Shi ◽  
Xia Wang
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Pore Structure ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Cell Model ◽  
Transport Phenomena ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Structure Model ◽  
Exchange Membrane

The gas diffusion layer (GDL) in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell has a porous structure with anisotropic and non-homogenous properties. The objective of this research is to develop a PEM fuel cell model where transport phenomena in the GDL are simulated based on GDL’s pore structure. The GDL pore structure was obtained by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). GDL’s cross-section view instead of surface view was scanned under the SEM. The SEM image was then processed using an image processing tool to obtain a two dimensional computational domain. This pore structure model was then coupled with an electrochemical model to predict the overall fuel cell performance. The transport phenomena in the GDL were simulated by solving the Navier-Stokes equation directly in the GDL pore structure. By comparing with the testing data, the fuel cell model predicted a reasonable fuel cell polarization curve. The pore structure model was further used to calculate the GDL permeability. The numerically predicted permeability was close to the value published in the literature. A future application of the current pore structure model is to predict GDL thermal and electric related properties.

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