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Mathematical Modeling of Alkaline Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

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Book cover Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Energy ((LNEN,volume 63))

Abstract

The modeling work on the alkaline anion exchange membrane (AEM) fuel cell has been greatly facilitated by the rapid development of AEM fuel cell in recent years. Mathematical modeling has been widely recognized as a powerful tool to quantify the physical and electrochemical processes inside the fuel cells. In this study, modeling researches on the AEM fuel cell fed by various fuels have been summarized and discussed. General modeling formulation for AEM fuel cell has been comprehensively introduced. The relevant modeling results with various cell design parameters and operational conditions are revealed and analyzed accordingly. Moreover, the comparison of the operating characteristics of AEM fuel cells fueled by hydrogen (H) and liquid alcohols is also carried out in this study.

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Abbreviations

a :

Water activity, anode

Anode :

Anode

A :

Geometric area of the fuel cell (m2)

c :

Mole concentration (mol m−3), cathode

Cathode :

Cathode

D :

Diffusion coefficient (m2 s−1)

E :

Voltage (V)

EW :

Equivalent weight of membrane

F :

Faraday’s contant (96487.0 C mol−1)

G :

Free energy (J mol−1)

h :

Latent heat, J kg−1

J :

Current density (A cm−2)

J 0 :

Volumetric exchange current density (A m−3)

k :

Electrical conductivity (S m−1)

K :

Permeability (m2)

m :

Membrane

M :

Relative mole mass (kg mol−1)

n :

Moles of electrons production per mole of reactants consumption

\(n_{d}\) :

Electroosmosis coefficient (H2O/ OH−)

N :

The change of moles of gas (mol), the flux of the liquid water in the fuel cell component (mol m−2 s−1)

p :

Pressure (Pa)

poro :

Porous media

r :

Porous radius (m)

r i :

Order of the reaction

R :

Ideal gas constant (8.314 J K−1 mol−1) internal resistance of cell \(\left( {{\Omega} \,{\text{m}}^{2} } \right)\) electrochemical reaction rate (A m−3)

Re :

Reynolds number

RH :

Relative humidity

s :

Volume fraction

S :

Entropy (J mol−1 K−1), Source term (kg m−3 s−1, mol m−3 s−1)

ST :

Stoichiometric ratio

T :

Temperature (K)

\(\overrightarrow {u}\) :

Velocity (m s−1)

x, y, z :

Coordinate position (m)

X :

Mole fraction

Y :

Mass fraction

α :

Apparent transfer coefficient

β :

Liquid water volume fraction supplied for cathode inlet

γ:

Activity coefficient, water phase change rate (s−1)

δ :

Thickness (m)

ε :

Porosity

ζ :

Water transfer rate (s−1)

η :

Internal resistance of cell \(\left( {{\Omega} \,{\text{m}}^{2} } \right)\), voltage loss

θ :

Contact angle (°)

ι :

Interfacial drag coefficient

λ :

Water content in polymer exchange membrane

μ :

Dynamic viscosity (kg m−1 s−1)

ρ :

Mass density (kg m−3) electrical resistivity (Ω m)

σ :

Conductivity (S m−1)

φ :

Potential (V)

ω :

Volume fraction of ionomer in catalyst layer

0:

Proper value standard condition

a :

Anode

act :

Activation loss parameter

aver :

Average

AAEM-CL :

Interface between the membrane and catalyst layer

c :

Cathode,capillary pressure

ch :

Flow channel

CL :

Catalyst layer

e :

Electrode

eff :

Effective parameter

equi :

Equilibrium

evap :

Evaporation

EOD :

Electro-osmotic drag

g :

Gas

GDL :

Gas diffusion layer

H 2 :

Hydrogen

H 2 O :

Water

i :

The composition of the gas mixture

lh :

Latent heat

lq :

Liquid water

ion :

Electrical

m :

Membrane

me :

Methanol

mw :

Membrane water

mv :

Methanol vapor

m-l :

Membrane water to liquid (vice versa)

ohm :

Ohmic parameter

O 2 :

Oxygen

P :

Plate

r :

Reversible

ref :

Reference condition

s :

Electrode

sat :

Saturation state

total :

Total

vap :

Water vapor

v-l :

Vapor to liquid (vice versa)

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China for Excellent Young Scholars (Grant No. 51622606), and the Key Program of Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin (China) (Grant No. 16JCZDJC30800).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Engines, Tianjin University, 135 Yaguan Rd, 300350, Tianjin, China

    Sen Huo & Kui Jiao

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  1. Sen Huo
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  2. Kui Jiao
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Correspondence to Kui Jiao .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Liang An

  2. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China

    T.S. Zhao

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Huo, S., Jiao, K. (2018). Mathematical Modeling of Alkaline Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells. In: An, L., Zhao, T. (eds) Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells. Lecture Notes in Energy, vol 63. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71371-7_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71371-7_6

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