The effect of geometric parameters of PTL on oxygen transport in PEM electrolysis cell

2021 ◽  
pp. 095440622110380
Author(s):  
SZ Hoseini Larimi ◽  
A Ramiar ◽  
R Shafaghat ◽  
Q Esmaili
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Saturation ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Transport Layer ◽  
Electrolysis Cell ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Electrolyte Membrane ◽  
Layer Arrangement

In this study, two-phase flow of oxygen-water is studied by using numerical simulation in the Porous Transport Layer (PTL) of the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Electrolysis Cell (PEMEC). The effect of thickness, porosity and multi-layer arrangement of PTL on the oxygen flow pattern and its removal from the PTL is investigated. The results showed the increase in the PTL thickness causes to increase the growth of the lateral paths from the inlet to the channel, which leads to increase the oxygen saturation in the PTL. It is also obtained that for PTL with different porosity, number and volume of occupied pores by oxygen in the PTL are the two main factors affecting the oxygen saturation and trade-off between them indicate the proper porosity to be used in different operating conditions. Furthermore, studies showed the use of two-layer PTL instead of single-layer can cause reduction in oxygen saturation in the proximity of reaction sites leading to a better operation of the electrolyzer.

Effect of Porosity and Thermal Conductivity of a Porous Transport Layer on Saturation and Thermal Transport in a Low-Temperature Fuel Cell

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinaykumar Konduru ◽  
Ezequiel Medici ◽  
Jeffrey S. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Transport Layer ◽  
Reliable Operation ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Efficient Operation ◽  
Electrolyte Membrane

Water transport in the Porous Transport Layer (PTL) plays an important role in the efficient operation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). Excessive water content as well as dry operating conditions are unfavorable for efficient and reliable operation of the fuel cell. The effect of thermal conductivity and porosity on water management are investigated by simulating two-phase flow in the PTL of the fuel cell using a network model. In the model, the PTL consists of a pore-phase and a solid-phase. Different models of the PTLs are generated using independent Weibull distributions for the pore-phase and the solid-phase. The specific arrangement of the pores and solid elements is varied to obtain different PTL realizations for the same Weibull parameters. The properties of PTL are varied by changing the porosity and thermal conductivity. The parameters affecting operating conditions include the temperature, relative humidity in the flow channel and voltage and current density. A parametric study of different solid-phase distributions of the PTL and its effect on thermal, vapor and liquid transport in the PTL under different operating conditions are discussed.

Sensitivity of Thermal Transport and Phase-Change in Thin Porous Layers to the Distribution of the Solid Matrix

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinaykumar Konduru ◽  
Ezequiel Medici ◽  
Jeffrey S. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Mass Transport ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Transport Layer ◽  
Solid Matrix ◽  
High Water Content ◽  
Electrolyte Membrane

Understanding the water transport in the Porous Transport Layer (PTL) is important to improve the operational performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). High water content in the PTL and flow channel decreases the transport of the gas reactants to the polymer electrolyte membrane. Dry operating conditions result in increased ohmic resistance of the polymer electrolyte membrane. Both cases result in decreased fuel cell performance. Multi-phase flow in the PTL of the fuel cell is simulated as a network of pores surrounded by the solid material. The pore-phase and the solid-phase of the PTL are generated by varying the parameters of the Weibull distribution function. In the network model, the mass transfer takes place in the pore-phase and the bulk heat transfer takes place in the both the solid-phase and liquid phase of the PTL. Previous studies have looked at the thermal and mass transport in the porous media considering the pore size distribution. In the present study, the sensitivity of the thermal and mass transport to the different arrangements of the solid-phase is carried out and the effect of different solid-phase distributions on the thermal and liquid transport in PTL of PEM fuel cell are discussed.

scholarly journals Amphiphilic Ti porous transport layer for highly effective PEM unitized regenerative fuel cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (13) ◽  
pp. eabf7866
Author(s):  
Ahyoun Lim ◽  
Hui-Yun Jeong ◽  
Youngjoon Lim ◽  
Jin Young Kim ◽  
Hee Young Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane ◽  
Hydrophobic Surface ◽  
Transport Layer ◽  
Electrolysis Cell ◽  
Water Drainage ◽  
Surface Polarity ◽  
Electrolyte Membrane

Polymer electrolyte membrane unitized regenerative fuel cells (PEM-URFCs) require bifunctional porous transport layers (PTLs) to play contradictory roles in a single unitized system: hydrophobicity for water drainage in the fuel cell (FC) mode and hydrophilicity for water supplement in the electrolysis cell (EC) mode. Here, we report a high-performance amphiphilic Ti PTL suitable for both FC and EC modes, thanks to alternating hydrophobic and hydrophilic channels. To fabricate the amphiphilic PTL, we used a shadow mask patterning process using ultrathin polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) brush as a hydrophobic surface modifier, which can change the Ti PTL’s surface polarity without decreasing its electrical conductivity. Consequently, performance improved by 4.3 times in FC (@ 0.6 V) and 1.9 times in EC (@ 1.8 V) from amphiphilic PTL. To elucidate reason for performance enhancement, discrete gas emission through the hydrophobic channels in amphiphilic PTL was verified under scanning electrochemical microscopy.

scholarly journals Performance Analysis of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Water Electrolyzer Using OpenFOAM®: Two-Phase Flow Regime, Electrochemical Model

Membranes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 441
Author(s):  
Kyu Heon Rho ◽  
Youngseung Na ◽  
Taewook Ha ◽  
Dong Kyu Kim
Keyword(s):  
Polymer Electrolyte ◽  
Current Density ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
High Current Density ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane ◽  
Transport Layer ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Electrolyte Membrane ◽  
Electrochemical Model

In this study, an electrochemical model was incorporated into a two-phase model using OpenFOAM® (London, United Kingdom) to analyze the two-phase flow and electrochemical behaviors in a polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzer. The performances of serpentine and parallel designs are compared. The current density and overpotential distribution are analyzed, and the volume fractions of oxygen and hydrogen velocity are studied to verify their influence on the current density. The current density decreases sharply when oxygen accumulates in the porous transport layer. Therefore, the current density increased sharply by 3000 A/m2 at an operating current density of 10,000 A/m2. Maldistribution of the overpotential is also observed. Second, we analyze the behaviors according to the current density. At a low current density, most of the oxygen flows out of the electrolyzer. Therefore, the decrease in performance is low. However, the current density is maldistributed when it is high, which results in decreased performance. The current density increases abruptly by 12,000 A/m2. Finally, the performances of the parallel and serpentine channels are analyzed. At a high current density, the performance of the serpentine channel is higher than that of the parallel channel by 0.016 V.

CO 2 reduction to alcohols in a polymer electrolyte membrane co-electrolysis cell operating at low potentials

2017 ◽  
Vol 241 ◽  
pp. 28-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Sebastián ◽  
Alessandra Palella ◽  
Vincenzo Baglio ◽  
Lorenzo Spadaro ◽  
Stefania Siracusano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polymer Electrolyte ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane ◽  
Electrolysis Cell ◽  
Electrolyte Membrane
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