Abstract
Proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are one of the main candidates for propulsion systems of modern electric vehicles. However, appropriate water management is crucial to performance. Cell compression can affect the performance and water management of PEM fuel cells. Although the influence of cell compression on the transport of continuous water flow through the porous electrodes has been investigated, the influence of cell compression on the droplet dynamic behavior through these electrodes is not investigated thoroughly. Employing a pore-scale simulation method such as lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is an excellent means for such investigation. In this study, LBM was applied to investigate the influence of compression of gas diffusion layer (GDL) on the removal of a water droplet from an electrode of a cell with interdigitated flow field. During removal process the droplet dynamic movement through five different GDLs (one without compression and the other four with four different levels of compression) was depicted and analyzed. The results reveal that the droplet experiences a faster removal process when the GDL is compressed. However, more increasing of compression does not result in a faster removal process, which indicates the existence of an optimum compression level for which the fastest removal process occurs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
M. Ehsani, Y. Gao and A. Emadi, Modern electric, hybrid electric, and fuel cell vehicles: fundamentals, theory and design, CRC Press, London (2012).
K. Hongthong, K. Pruksathorn, P. Piumsomboon and P. Sripakagorn, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 24, 612 (2007).
T. Kim, H. Lee, W. Sim, J. Lee, S. Kim, T. Lim and K. Park, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 26, 1265 (2009).
Fuel cell vehicles, https://doi.org/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell, 2016 (accessed 3 January 2016).
D. J. Moon, J. W. Ryu, S. D. Lee and B. S. Ahn, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 19, 921 (2002).
B. Nakrumpai, K. Pruksathorn and P. Piumsomboon, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 23, 570 (2006).
W. Chen and F. Jiang, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 41, 8550 (2016).
I. S. Han, S. K. Park and C. B. Chung, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 33, 3121 (2016).
S. Park and B. N. Popov, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 31, 1384 (2014).
S. Bhlapibul and K. Pruksathorn, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 25, 1226 (2008).
M. H. Shojaeefard, G. R. Molaeimanesh, M. Nazemian and M. R. Moqaddari, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 41, 20276 (2016).
M. F. Serincan and U. Pasaogullari, J. Power Sources, 196, 1314 (2011).
A. Mahmoudi, A. Ramiar and Q. Esmaili, Energy Convers. Manag., 110, 78 (2016).
K. Tüber, D. Pócza and C. Hebling, J. Power Sources, 124, 403 (2003).
M. Mortazavi and K. Tajiri, J. Power Sources, 245, 236 (2014).
C. S. Lee and S. C. Yi, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 21, 1153 (2004).
P. P. Mukherjee, C.-Y. Wang, V. P. Schulz, Q. Kang, J. Becker and A. Wiegmann, ECS. Trans., 25, 1485 (2009).
Z. Shi, X. Wang and L. Guessous, J. Fuel Cell. Sci. Technol., 7, 021012 (2010).
Y. Wang and K. S. Chen, J. Electrochem. Soc., 158, B1292 (2011).
P. Chippar, O. Kyeongmin, K. Kang and H. Ju, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 37, 6326 (2012).
T. Tranter, A. Burns, D. Ingham and M. Pourkashanian, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 40, 652 (2015).
J. H. Nam and M. Kaviany, Int. J. Heat. Mass Transf., 46, 4595 (2003).
F. Zhang, X. Yang and C. Wang, J. Electrochem. Soc., 153, A225 (2006).
S. Chen and G. D. Doolen, Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech., 30, 329 (1998).
G. R. Molaeimanesh and M. H. Akbari, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 32, 397 (2015).
G. R. Molaeimanesh, H. S. Googarchin and A. Q. Moqaddam, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 41, 22221 (2016).
G. R. Molaeimanesh and M. H. Akbari, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 39, 8401 (2014).
G. R. Molaeimanesh and M. H. Akbari, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 31, 598 (2014).
L. Chen, H.-B. Luan, Y.-L. He and W.-Q. Tao, Int. J. Therm Sci., 51, 132 (2012).
Y. B. Salah, Y. Tabe and T. Chikahisa, Energy Procedia, 28, 125 (2012).
B. Han and H. Meng, J. Power Sources, 217, 268 (2012).
B. Han, J. Yu and H. Meng, J. Power Sources, 202, 175 (2012).
L. Hao and P. Cheng, J. Power Sources, 190, 435 (2009).
P. L. Bhatnagar, E. P. Gross and M. Krook, Phys Rev., 94, 511 (1954).
X. Shan and H. Chen, Phys Rev. E., 47, 1815 (1993).
A. K. Gunstensen, D. H. Rothman, S. Zaleski and G. Zanetti, Phys. Rev. A., 43, 4320 (1991).
M. R. Swift, W. R. Osborn and J. M. Yeomans, Phys. Rev. Lett., 75, 830 (1995).
A. A. Mohamad, Lattice Boltzmann method: fundamentals and engineering applications with computer codes, Springer, New York (2011).
M. C. Sukop and D. T. Thorne, Lattice Boltzmann modeling, an introduction for geoscientists and engineers, Springer, Heidelberg (2007).
P. Yuan and L. Schaefer, Phys. Fluids, 18, 042101 (2006).
V. P. Schulz, J. Becker, A. Wiegmann, P. P. Mukherjee and C.-Y. Wang, J. Electrochem. Soc., 154, B419 (2007).
K. Schladitz, S. Peters, D. Reinel-Bitzer, A. Wiegmann and J. Ohser, Comput. Mater. Sci., 38, 56 (2006).
Q. Zou and X. He, Phys. Fluids, 9, 1591 (1997).
E. Kumbur, K. Sharp and M. Mench, J. Power Sources, 168, 356 (2007).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Molaeimanesh, G.R., Shojaeefard, M.H. & Moqaddari, M.R. Effects of electrode compression on the water droplet removal from proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 36, 136–145 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-018-0157-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-018-0157-y