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Effective removal and transport of water in a PEM fuel cell flow channel having a hydrophilic plate

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  • Qin, Yanzhou
  • Li, Xianguo
  • Jiao, Kui
  • Du, Qing
  • Yin, Yan

Abstract

Effective removal and transport of water in the flow channel of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell (PEMFC) is significantly important to the critical water management in PEMFCs. In this study, the process of water removal and transport is investigated numerically by using the volume-of-fluid method for a flow channel having a hydrophilic plate in the middle of the channel. The results show that the liquid water droplet on the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) surface can be removed effectively, and the removal process is facilitated significantly by the hydrophilic plate which should have a surface contact angle larger than the bottom channel surface but less than the MEA surface. Once the liquid water contacts the plate, it is detached from the MEA surface, and transported to the channel surface along the plate surface; whereas without the plate the water droplet is transported along the MEA surface under the same flow condition. The pressure drop associated with the flow in the channel can be reduced substantially by the presence of the plate due to a characteristic change in the water removal and transport process, when compared to the pressure drop in a conventional flow channel or a channel with a needle shown in literature. The wettability, the length and the height of the plate all can have an impact on the water transport and dynamics as well as the associated pressure drop in the flow channel. A parametric study is carried out to determine the optimal values for the surface contact angle, the length and height of the plate.

Suggested Citation

  • Qin, Yanzhou & Li, Xianguo & Jiao, Kui & Du, Qing & Yin, Yan, 2014. "Effective removal and transport of water in a PEM fuel cell flow channel having a hydrophilic plate," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 116-126.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:113:y:2014:i:c:p:116-126
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.06.053
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    4. Yanzhou Qin & Xuefeng Wang & Rouxian Chen & Xiang Shangguan, 2018. "Water Transport and Removal in PEMFC Gas Flow Channel with Various Water Droplet Locations and Channel Surface Wettability," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-17, April.
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    6. Chen, Xi & Wang, Chunxi & Xu, Jianghai & Long, Shichun & Chai, Fasen & Li, Wenbin & Song, Xingxing & Wang, Xuepeng & Wan, Zhongmin, 2023. "Membrane humidity control of proton exchange membrane fuel cell system using fractional-order PID strategy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 343(C).
    7. Pei, Pucheng & Li, Yuehua & Xu, Huachi & Wu, Ziyao, 2016. "A review on water fault diagnosis of PEMFC associated with the pressure drop," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 366-385.
    8. Wu, Horng-Wen, 2016. "A review of recent development: Transport and performance modeling of PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 81-106.
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    10. Pei, Pucheng & Chen, Huicui, 2014. "Main factors affecting the lifetime of Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cells in vehicle applications: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 60-75.
    11. Ashrafi, Moosa & Shams, Mehrzad, 2017. "The effects of flow-field orientation on water management in PEM fuel cells with serpentine channels," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 1083-1096.
    12. Guo, Hang & Zhao, Qiang & Ye, Fang, 2022. "An experimental study on gas and liquid two-phase flow in orientated-type flow channels of proton exchange membrane fuel cells by using a side-view method," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 603-618.
    13. Ferreira, Rui B. & Falcão, D.S. & Oliveira, V.B. & Pinto, A.M.F.R., 2015. "Numerical simulations of two-phase flow in an anode gas channel of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 619-628.
    14. Shin, Dong Kyu & Yoo, Jin Hyuk & Kang, Dong Gyun & Kim, Min Soo, 2018. "Effect of cell size in metal foam inserted to the air channel of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell for high performance," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 663-675.
    15. Wang, Junye, 2015. "Theory and practice of flow field designs for fuel cell scaling-up: A critical review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 640-663.
    16. Wang, Yulin & Wang, Xiaodong & Wang, Xiaoai & Liu, Tao & Zhu, Tingting & Liu, Shengchun & Qin, Yanzhou, 2021. "Droplet dynamic characteristics on PEM fuel cell cathode gas diffusion layer with gradient pore size distribution," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 864-874.
    17. Li, Yuehua & Pei, Pucheng & Wu, Ziyao & Xu, Huachi & Chen, Dongfang & Huang, Shangwei, 2017. "Novel approach to determine cathode two-phase-flow pressure drop of proton exchange membrane fuel cell and its application on water management," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 713-724.
    18. Zhao, Jian & Shahgaldi, Samaneh & Alaefour, Ibrahim & Xu, Qian & Li, Xianguo, 2018. "Gas permeability of catalyzed electrodes in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C), pages 203-210.
    19. Perng, Shiang-Wuu & Wu, Horng-Wen, 2015. "A three-dimensional numerical investigation of trapezoid baffles effect on non-isothermal reactant transport and cell net power in a PEMFC," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 81-95.
    20. Xu, Sheng & Yin, Bifeng & Li, Zekai & Dong, Fei, 2023. "A review on gas purge of proton exchange membrane fuel cells: Mechanisms, experimental approaches, numerical approaches, and optimization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    21. Singdeo, Debanand & Dey, Tapobrata & Gaikwad, Shrihari & Andreasen, Søren Juhl & Ghosh, Prakash C., 2017. "A new modified-serpentine flow field for application in high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 13-22.

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