Optimization of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell membrane electrode assembly

Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization

Volumn 40, Issue 1-6, 2010, Pages 563-583

  Secanell, Marc ^a   Songprakorp, Ron ^b   Djilali, Ned ^c   Suleman, Afzal ^c  

^a UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA   (Canada)

^b KING MONGKUT'S UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY THONBURI   (Thailand)

^c UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA   (Canada)

Author keywords

Adaptive finite elements; Analytical sensitivities; Catalyst layer; Gradient based optimization; PEM fuel cell

Indexed keywords

ADAPTIVE FINITE ELEMENT; ADAPTIVE FINITE ELEMENT METHODS; CARBON RATIO; CATALYST LAYERS; COMPUTATIONAL FRAMEWORK; ELECTRODE MODELS; FUEL CELL DESIGNS; FUEL CELL MODEL; GAS DIFFUSION LAYERS; GOVERNING EQUATIONS; GRADIENT-BASED METHOD; GRADIENT-BASED OPTIMIZATION; MANUFACTURING PARAMETERS; MEMBRANE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLIES; MODEL INPUTS; OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS; PEM FUEL CELL; PLATINUM LOADINGS; PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANES; QUADRATIC CONVERGENCE; SINGLE PHASE; TRIAL-AND-ERROR PROCESS;

ADAPTIVE ALGORITHMS; CATALYSIS; CATALYSTS; CONVERGENCE OF NUMERICAL METHODS; DIFFUSION IN GASES; FINITE ELEMENT METHOD; PLATINUM; PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELLS (PEMFC);

OPTIMIZATION;

EID: 72149086926     PISSN: 1615147X     EISSN: 16151488     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s00158-009-0387-z     Document Type: Article

References (68)

1. E Antolini L Giorgi A Pozio E Passalacqua 1999 Influence of nafion loading in the catalyst layer of gas-diffusion electrodes for pemfc J Power Sources 77 136 142 10.1016/S0378-7753(98)00186-4
2. Bangerth W, Hartmann R, Kanschat G (2008) deal.II Differential equations analysis library, technical reference. http://www.dealii.org
3. G Bender MS Wilson TA Zawodzinski 2003 Further refinements in the segmented cell approach to diagnosing performance in polymer electrolyte fuel cells J Power Sources 123 2 163 171 10.1016/S0378-7753(03)00533-0 (Pubitemid 41177380)
4. D Bernardi M Verbrugge 1991 Mathematical model of a gas diffusion electrode bonded to a polymer electrolyte AIChE J 37 8 1151 1163 10.1002/aic.690370805
5. DM Bernardi MW Verbrugge 1992 Mathematical model of the solid-polymer-electrolyte fuel cell J Electrochem Soc 139 9 2477 2491 10.1149/1.2221251
6. T Berning N Djilali 2003 Three-dimensional computational analysis of transport phenomena in a pem fuel cell-a parametric study J Power Sources 124 2 440 452 10.1016/S0378-7753(03)00816-4 (Pubitemid 41325787)
7. T Berning D Lu N Djilali 2002 Three-dimensional computational analysis of transport phenomena in a pem fuel cell J Power Sources 106 1-2 284 294 10.1016/S0378-7753(01)01057-6
8. DJL Brett S Atkins NP Brandon V Vesovic N Vasileiadis AR Kucernak 2001 Measurement of the current distribution along a single flow channel of a solid polymer fuel cell Electrochem Commun 3 11 628 632 10.1016/S1388-2481(01)00234-X (Pubitemid 33032312)
9. Cacuci D (2003) Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis: theory, vol 1. Chapman and Hall/CRC, Boca Raton
10. B Carnes N Djilali 2005 Systematic parameter estimation for PEM fuel cell models J Power Sources 144 1 83 93 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.12.024
11. S Chen A Kucernak 2004 Electrocatalysis under conditions of high mass transport rate: oxygen reduction on single submicrometer-sized pt particles supported on carbon J Phys Chem B 108 10 3262 3276 10.1021/jp036831j
12. CH Cheng HH Lin GJ Lai 2007 Design for geometric parameters of pem fuel cell by integrating computational fluid dynamics code with optimization method J Power Sources 165 2 803 813 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2006.12.040 (Pubitemid 46320175)
13. COMSOL (2005) COMSOL 3.2 Multiphysics user's guide
14. Cussler EL (1997) Diffusion: mass transfer in fluid systems, 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
15. TA Davis 2004 Algorithm 832: Umfpack, an unsymmetric-pattern multifrontal method ACM Trans Math Softw 30 2 196 199 1072.65037 10.1145/992200.992206
16. TA Davis 2004 A column pre-ordering strategy for the unsymmetric-pattern multifrontal method ACM Trans Math Softw 30 2 165 195 1072.65036 10.1145/992200.992205
17. E-TEK (2006) E-tek product catalogue. http://www.etek-inc.com. Accessed November 2006
18. M Eikerling 2006 Water management in cathode catalyst layers of pem fuel cells J Electrochem Soc 153 3 58 70 10.1149/1.2160435 (Pubitemid 43201472)
19. M Eikerling A Kornyshev 1998 Modelling the performance of the cathode catalyst layer of polymer electrolyte fuel cells J Electroanal Chem 453 1-2 89 106 10.1016/S0022-0728(98)00214-9
20. Eldred M, Giunta A, van Bloemen Waanders B, Wojtkiewicz SFJ, Hart W, Alleva M (2003) Dakota, a multilevel parallel object-oriented framework for design optimization, parameter estimation, uncertainty quantification, and sensitivity analysis. Version 3.0 users manual. Tech. Rep. 2001-3796, Sandia National Laboratory
21. P Gode F Jaouen G Lindbergh A Lundblad G Sundholm 2003 Influence of the compositon on the structure and electrochemical characteristics of the pemfc cathode Electrochim Acta 48 4175 4187 10.1016/S0013-4686(03)00603-0
22. M Grujicic K Chittajallu 2004 Design and optimization of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells Appl Surf Sci 227 56 72 10.1016/j.apsusc.2003.10.035
23. M Grujicic K Chittajallu 2004 Optimization of the cathode geometry in the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells Chem Eng Sci 59 5883 5895 10.1016/j.ces.2004.07.045 (Pubitemid 39606032)
24. M Grujicic C Zhao K Chittajallu J Ochterbeck 2004 Cathode and interdigitated air distributor geometry optimization in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells Mater Sci Eng B 108 241 252 10.1016/j.mseb.2004.01.005
25. V Gurau H Liu 1998 Kakaç S Two-dimensional model for proton exchange membrane fuel cells AIChE J 44 11 2410 2422 10.1002/aic.690441109
26. A Hakenjos K Tüber J Schumacher C Hebling 2004 Characterizing PEM fuel cell performance using a current distribution measurement in comparison with a CFD model Fuel Cells 4 3 185 189 10.1002/fuce.200400026
27. JT Hinatsu M Mizuhata H Takenaka 1994 Water uptake of perfluorosulfonic acid membranes for liquid water and water vapour J Electrochem Soc 141 6 1493 1498 10.1149/1.2054951
28. T Hottinen M Noponen T Mennola O Himanen M Mikkola P Lund 2003 Effect of ambient conditions on performance and current distribution of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell J Appl Electrochem 33 265 271 10.1023/A:1024184824662
29. K Karan 2007 Assessment of transrpot-limited catalyst utilization for engineering of ultra-low pt loading polymer electrolyte fuel cell anodes Electrochem Commun 9 4 747 753 10.1016/j.elecom.2006.10.057 (Pubitemid 46507911)
30. A Kulikovsky J Divisek A Kornyshev 1999 Modeling the cathode compartment of polymer electrolyte fuel cells: dead and active reaction zones J Electrochem Soc 146 11 3981 3991 10.1149/1.1392580 (Pubitemid 30518549)
31. S Lee S Mukerjee J McBreen Y Rho Y Kho TH Lee 1998 Effects of nafion impregnation on performances of pemfc electrodes Electrochim Acta 43 24 3693 3701 10.1016/S0013-4686(98)00127-3
32. G Li PG Pickup 2003 Ionic conductivity of PEMFC electrodes J Electrochem Soc 150 11 745 752 10.1149/1.1611493
33. S Litster G McLean 2004 PEM fuel cell electrodes J Power Sources 130 1-2 61 76 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2003.12.055 (Pubitemid 41325892)
34. Luenberger DG (1969) Optimization by vector space methods. Wiley, New York
35. Martins J (2002) A coupled-adjoint method for high-fidelity aero-structural optimization. Ph.D. thesis, Standford University
36. Martins J, Kroo I, Alonso J (2000) An automated method for sensitivity analysis using complex variables. In: 38th aerospace sciences meeting and exhibit, Reno, 10-13 January 2000
37. A Mawardi F Yang R Pitchumani 2005 Optimization of the operating parameters of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell for maximum power density J Cell Sci Technol 2 2 121 135 10.1115/1.1867978 (Pubitemid 40817608)
38. D Natarajan TV Nguyen 2004 Effect of electrode configuration and electronic conductivity on current density distribution measurements in pem fuel cells J Power Sources 135 1 95 109 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.03.063
39. D Natarajan TV Nguyen 2005 Current distribution in pem fuel cells. Part 1: oxygen and fuel flow rate effects AIChE J 51 9 2587 2598 10.1002/aic.10545
40. D Natarajan TV Nguyen 2005 Current distribution in pem fuel cells AIChE J 51 9 2599 2608 10.1002/aic.10577
41. KC Neyerlin W Gu J Jorne HA Gasteiger 2006 Determination of catalyst unique parameters for the oxygen reduction reaction in a PEMFC J Electrochem Soc 154 10 1955 1963 10.1149/1.2266294 (Pubitemid 44343833)
42. A Parthasarathy S Srinivasan AJ Appleby 1992 Parthasarathy CRMA, Srinivasan S, Appleby AJ, Martin CR Pressure dependence of the oxygen reduction reaction at the platinum microelectrode/nafion interface: electrode kinetics and mass transport J Electrochem Soc 139 9 2530 2537 10.1149/1.2221258
43. A Parthasarathy S Srinivasan AJ Appleby 1992 Parthasarathy CRMA, Srinivasan S, Appleby AJ, Martin CR Temperature dependence of the electrode kinetics of oxygen reduction at the platinum/nafion interface-a microelectrode investigation J Electrochem Soc 139 10 2856 2862 10.1149/1.2068992
44. E Passalacqua F Lufrano G Squadrito A Patti L Giorgi 2001 Nafion content in the catalyst layer of polymer electrolyte fuel cells: effects on structure and performance Electrochim Acta 46 799 805 10.1016/S0013-4686(00)00679-4 (Pubitemid 32093125)
45. G Sasikumar J Ihm H Ryu 2004 Optimum Nafion content in PEM fuel cell electrodes Electrochim Acta 50 2-3 601 605 10.1016/j.electacta.2004.01.126
46. Secanell M (2007) Computational modeling and optimization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Ph.D. thesis, University of Victoria
47. M Secanell B Carnes A Suleman N Djilali 2007 Numerical optimization of proton exchange membrane fuel cell cathodes Electrochim Acta 52 7 2668 2682 10.1016/j.electacta.2006.09.049 (Pubitemid 46123299)
48. M Secanell K Karan A Suleman N Djilali 2007 Multi-variable optimization of PEMFC cathodes using an agglomerate model Electrochim Acta 52 22 6318 6337 10.1016/j.electacta.2007.04.028 (Pubitemid 46818175)
49. M Secanell K Karan A Suleman N Djilali 2008 Optimal design of ultra-low platinum pemfc anode electrodes J Electrochem Soc 155 2 125 134 10.1149/1.2806171
50. M Secanell R Songprakorp A Suleman N Djilali 2008 Multi-objective optimization of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell membrane electrode assembly Energy Environ Sci 1 2 378 388 10.1039/b804654a
51. N Siegel M Ellis D Nelson M Von Spakovsky 2003 Single domain PEMFC model based on agglomerate catalyst geometry J Power Sources 115 1 81 89 10.1016/S0378-7753(02)00622-5 (Pubitemid 41331206)
52. B Sivertsen N Djilali 2005 Cfd based modelling of proton exchange membrane fuel cells J Power Sources 141 1 65 78 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.08.054
53. D Song Q Wang Z Liu T Navessin S Holdcroft 2004 Numerical study of pem fuel cell cathode with non-uniform catalyst layer Electrochim Acta 50 731 737 10.1016/j.electacta.2004.01.114
54. D Song Q Wang Z Liu T Navessin M Eikerling S Holdcroft 2004 Numerical optimization study of the catalyst layer of pem fuel cell cathode J Power Sources 126 1-2 104 111 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2003.08.043 (Pubitemid 41325749)
55. D Song Q Wang Z Liu M Eikerling Z Xie T Navessin S Holdcroft 2005 A method for optimizing distributions of Nafion and Pt in cathode catalyst layers of PEM fuel cells Electrochim Acta 50 16-17 3359 3374
56. Songprakorp R (2008) Investigation of dynamic behaviors of proton exchange fuel cells. Ph.D. thesis, University of Victoria
57. T Springer T Zawodzinski S Gottesfeld 1991 Polymer electrolyte fuel cell model J Electrochem Soc 138 8 2334 2342 10.1149/1.2085971
58. J Stumper SA Campbell DP Wilkinson MC Johnson M Davis 1998 In-situ methods for the determination of current distributions in pem fuel cells Electrochim Acta 43 24 3773 3783 10.1016/S0013-4686(98)00137-6
59. W Sun BA Peppley K Karan 2005 An improved two-dimensional agglomerate cathode model to study the influence of catalyst layer structural parameters Electrochim Acta 50 16-17 3347 3358
60. L Wang H Liu 2004 Performance studies of pem fuel cells with interdigitated flow fields J Power Sources 134 2 185 196 10.1016/j.jpowsour. 2004.03.055 (Pubitemid 41325988)
61. JX Wang TE Springer RR Adzic 2006 Dual-pathway kinetic equation for the hydrogen oxidation reaction on pt electrodes J Electrochem Soc 153 9 1732 1740 10.1149/1.2218756 (Pubitemid 44591812)
62. Q Wang M Eikerling D Song Z Liu 2004 Structure and performance of different types of agglomerates in cathode catalyst layers in PEM fuel cells J Electroanal Chem 573 61 69 10.1016/j.jelechem.2004.06.022
63. Q Wang M Eikerling D Song Z Liu T Navessin Z Xie S Holdcroft 2004 Functionally graded cathode catalyst layers for polymer electrolyte fuel cells. I. Theoretical modeling J Electrochem Soc 151 7 950 957 10.1149/1.1753580
64. L Wang A Husar T Zhou H Liu 2003 A parametric study of pem fuel cell performances Int J Hydrogen Energy 28 11 1263 1272 10.1016/S0360-3199(02)00284-7
65. J Xie KL More TA Zawodzinski WH Smith 2004 Porosimetry of meas made by "thin film decal" method and its effects on performance of PEFCs J Electrochem Soc 151 11 1841 1846 10.1149/1.1796991 (Pubitemid 40010126)
66. Z Xie T Navessin K Shi R Chow Q Wang D Song B Andreaus M Eikerling Z Liu S Holdcroft 2005 Functionally graded cathode catalyst layers for polymer electrolyte fuel cells. II. Experimental study of the effects of nafion distribution J Electrochem Soc 152 6 1171 1179 10.1149/1.1904990 (Pubitemid 41013458)
67. Yosida K (1965) Functional analysis. Springer, Berlin
68. L You H Liu 2001 A parametric study of the cathode catalyst layer of PEM fuel cells using a pseudo-homogeneous model Int J Hydrogen Energy 26 9 991 999 10.1016/S0360-3199(01)00035-0