Numerical study of two-phase flow patterns in the gas channel of PEM fuel cells with tapered flow field design

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Volumn 39, Issue 5, 2014, Pages 2261-2273

  Mancusi, Erasmo ^a,b   Fontana, Éliton ^a   Ulson De Souza, Antônio Augusto ^a   Guelli Ulson De Souza, Selene M A ^a  

^a FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF SANTA CATARINA   (Brazil)

^b UNIVERSITY OF SANNIO   (Italy)

Author keywords

CFD simulation; Multiphase flow; PEM fuel cell; Tapered channel; VOF simulation; Water transport

Indexed keywords

CFD SIMULATIONS; PEM FUEL CELL; TAPERED CHANNEL; VOF SIMULATION; WATER TRANSPORT;

AIR; COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS; FLOW PATTERNS; HYDROPHOBICITY; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; MULTIPHASE FLOW; TWO PHASE FLOW;

PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELLS (PEMFC);

EID: 84892369843     PISSN: 03603199     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.11.106     Document Type: Article

References (44)

1. M.M. Mench Fuel cell engines 2008 John Wiley and Sons
2. V. Mehta, and J.S. Copper Review and analysis of PEM fuel cell design and manufacturing J Power Sources 114 2003 32 53
3. R. Anderson, L. Zhang, Y. Ding, M. Blanco, X. Bi, and D.P. Wilkinson A critical review of two-phase flow in gas flow channels of proton exchange membrane fuel cells J Power Sources 195 2010 4531 4553
4. K. Jiao, and X. Li Water transport in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells Prog Energy Combust Sci 37 2011 221 291
5. A. Kumar, and R.G. Reddy Effect of channel dimensions and shape in the flow-field distributor on the performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells J Power Sources 113 2003 11 18
6. H.D. Ahmed, and H.J. Sung Effects of channel geometrical configuration and shoulder width on PEMFC performance at high current density J Power Sources 162 2006 327 339
7. K.S. Choi, H.M. Kim, and S.M. Moon Numerical studies on the geometrical characterization of serpentine flow-field for efficient PEMFC Int J Hydrogen Energy 36 2011 1613 1627
8. S. Lee, T. Kim, and H. Park Comparison of multi-inlet and serpentine channel design on water production of PEMFCs Chem Eng Sci 8 2011 1748 1758
9. A.P. Manso, F.F. Marzo, J. Barranco, X. Garikano, and M.G. Mujika Influence of geometric parameters of the flow fields on the performance of a PEM fuel cell. A review Int J Hydrogen Energy 37 2012 15256 15287
10. W.M. Yan, C.H. Yang, C.Y. Soong, F. Chen, and S.C. Mei Experimental studies on optimal operating conditions for different flow field designs of PEM fuel cells J Power Sources 160 2006 284 292
11. H.C. Liu, W.M. Yan, C.Y. Soong, F. Chen, and H.S. Chu Reactant gas transport and cell performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells with tapered flow field design J Power Sources 158 2006 78 87
12. Z. Zhenzhong, C. Junxun, and Z. Pingji Enhancement of proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance using a novel tapered gas channel Chin J Chem Eng 17 2 2009 286 297
13. S.W. Perng, and H.W. Wu Non-isothermal transport phenomenon and cell performance of a cathodic PEM fuel cell with a baffle plate in a tapered channel Appl Energy 88 2011 52 67
14. É. Fontana, E. Mancusi, A. Silva, V.C. Mariani, A.A.A.U. Souza, and S.G.U. Souza Study of the effects of flow channel with non-uniform cross-sectional area on PEMFC species and heat transfer Int J Heat Mass Transfer 54 2011 4462 4472
15. N. Akhtar, and P. Kerkhof Dynamic behavior of liquid water transport in a tapered channel of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell cathode Int J Hydrogen Energy 36 2011 3076 3086
16. K. Tuber, D. Pocza, and C. Hebling Visualization of water buildup in the cathode of a transparent PEM fuel cell J Power Sources 124 2003 403 414
17. Z. Lu, S.G. Kandlikar, C. Rath, M. Grimm, W. Domigan, and A.D. White et al. Water management studies in PEM fuel cells, part II: ex situ investigation of flow maldistribution, pressure drop and two-phase flow pattern in gas channels Int J Hydrogen Energy 34 2009 3445 3456
18. J.P. Owejan, J.J. Gagliardo, J.M. Sergi, S.G. Kandlikar, and T.A. Trabold Water management studies in PEM fuel cells, part I: fuel cell design and in situ water distributions Int J Hydrogen Energy 34 2009 3436 3444
19. T.C. Wu, and N. Djilali Experimental investigation of water droplet emergence in a model polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell microchannel J Power Sources 208 2012 248 256
20. I.S. Hussaini, and C.Y. Wang Visualization and quantification of cathode channel flooding in PEM fuel cells J Power Sources 187 2009 444 451
21. M. Bavarian, M. Soroush, I.G. Kevrekidis, and J.N. Benziger Mathematical modeling, steady-state and dynamic behavior, and control of fuel cells: a review Ind Eng Chem Res 49 2010 7922 7950
22. C.W. Hirt, and B.D. Nichols Volume of fluid (VOF) method for the dynamics of free boundaries J Comp Phys 39 1981 201 225
23. A. Theodorakakos, T. Ous, M. Gavaises, J.M. Nouri, N. Nikolopoulos, and H. Yanagihara Dynamics of water droplets detached from porous surfaces of relevance to PEM fuel cells J Colloid Interface Sci 300 2006 673 687
24. Y. Ding, H.T. Bi, and D.P. Wilkinson Three-dimensional numerical simulation of water droplet emerging from a gas diffusion layer surface in micro-channels J Power Sources 195 2010 7278 7288
25. Y. Cai, T. Chen, T. Yang, and J. Xiao Mechanism of water transport in serpentine cathode channels of proton exchange membrane fuel cells J Power Sources 209 2012 90 104
26. J.P. Dawes, N.S. Hanspal, O.A. Family, and A. Turan Three-dimensional CFD modeling of PEM fuel cells: an investigation into the effects of water flooding Chem Eng Sci 64 2009 2781 2794
27. K. Jiao, B. Zhou, and P. Quan Liquid water transport in parallel serpentine channels with manifolds on cathode side of a PEM fuel cell stack J Power Sources 154 2006 124 137
28. K. Jiao, B. Zhou, and P. Quan Liquid water transport in straight micro-parallel-channels with manifolds for PEM fuel cell cathode J Power Sources 157 2006 226 243
29. A. Le, and B. Zhou A generalized numerical model for liquid water in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with interdigitated design J Power Sources 193 2009 665 683
30. A.D. Le, B. Zhou, H.R. Shiu, C. Lee, and W.C. Chang Numerical simulation and experimental validation of liquid water behaviors in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell cathode with serpentine channels J Power Sources 195 2010 7302 7315
31. Z. Zhan, J. Xiao, M. Pan, and R. Yuan Characteristics of droplet and film water motion in the flow channels of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells J Power Sources 160 2006 1 9
32. X. Zhu, P.C. Sui, and N. Djilali Dynamic behavior of liquid water emerging from a GDL pore into a PEMFC gas flow channel J Power Sources 172 2007 287 295
33. X. Zhu, P.C. Sui, and N. Djilali Numerical simulation of emergence of a water droplet from a pore into a microchannel gas stream Microfluid Nanofluid 4 2008 543 555
34. X. Zhu, P.C. Sui, and N. Djilali Three-dimensional numerical simulations of water droplet dynamics in a PEMFC gas channel J Power Sources 181 2008 101 115
35. X. Zhu, Q. Liao, P.C. Sui, and N. Djilali Numerical investigation of water droplet dynamics in a low-temperature fuel cell microchannel: effect of channel geometry J Power Sources 195 2010 801 812
36. L. Chen, T.F. Cao, Z.H. Li, Y.L. He, and W.Q. Tao Numerical investigation of liquid water distribution in the cathode side of proton exchange membrane fuel cell and its effects on cell performance Int J Hydrogen Energy 37 2012 9155 9170
37. É. Fontana, E. Mancusi, A.A.A.U. Souza, and S.G.U. Souza Flow regimes for liquid water transport in a tapered flow channel of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) J Power Sources 234 2013 260 271
38. Fluent 13.0 documentation 2010 Fluent Inc.
39. E.D. Wang, P.F. Shi, and C.Y. Du Treatment and characterization of gas diffusion layers by sucrose carbonization for PEMFC applications J Power Sources 165 2008 803 813
40. C.H. Cheng, H.H. Lin, and G.L. Lai Design for geometric parameters of PEM fuel cell by integrating computational fluid dynamics code with optimization method J Power Sources 165 2007 803 813
41. Z. Lu, C. Rath, G. Zhang, and S.G. Kandlikar Water management studies in PEM fuel cells, part IV: effects of channel surface wettability, geometry and orientation on the two-phase flow in parallel gas channels Int J Hydrogen Energy 36 2011 9864 9875
42. C.E. Colosqui, M.J. Cheah, I.G. Kevrekidis, and J.B. Benziger Droplet and slug formation in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell flow channels: the role of interfacial forces J Power Sources 196 2011 10057 10068
43. Z. Zhan, C. Wanga, W. Fu, and M. Pan Visualization of water transport in a transparent PEMFC Int J Hydrogen Energy 37 2012 1094 1105
44. M. Grimm, E.J. See, and S.G. Kandlikar Modeling gas flow in PEMFC channels: part I e flow pattern transitions and pressure drop in a simulated ex situ channel with uniform water injection through the GDL Int J Hydrogen Energy 37 2012 12489 12503