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Two-phase flow in the mixed-wettability gas diffusion layer of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

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  • Niu, Zhiqiang
  • Bao, Zhiming
  • Wu, Jingtian
  • Wang, Yun
  • Jiao, Kui

Abstract

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is widely employed to improve the hydrophobicity of gas diffusion layer (GDL) in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. In this study, the effects of different PTFE loadings on the relationship of the capillary pressure Pc and water saturation s in the mixed-wettability GDL, i.e. Pc-s, are investigated using a three-dimensional (3D) volume of fluid (VOF) model. The simulated Pc-s curves are presented and compared with results obtained from the lattice Boltzmann model (LBM) and experiments. The good agreement between the VOF predictions and experiment data is achieved, indicating that the mixed wettability in the PTFE treated GDL is an important feature to understand two-phase behaviors in fuel cells. The homogeneous and heterogeneous PTFE distributions resulted from two PTFE drying methods (i.e. the vacuum and air dryings, respectively) are studied. It was found that the air drying GDL yields a high PTFE concentration near the water inlet and reduces water imbibition near the inlet. The simulated Pc-s correlation from VOF model was compared with standard Leverett correlation.

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  • Niu, Zhiqiang & Bao, Zhiming & Wu, Jingtian & Wang, Yun & Jiao, Kui, 2018. "Two-phase flow in the mixed-wettability gas diffusion layer of proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 443-450.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:232:y:2018:i:c:p:443-450
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.09.209
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    5. Wang, Yulin & Xu, Haokai & Zhang, Zhe & Li, Hua & Wang, Xiaodong, 2022. "Lattice Boltzmann simulation of a gas diffusion layer with a gradient polytetrafluoroethylene distribution for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
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    7. Shao, Heng & Qiu, Diankai & Peng, Linfa & Yi, Peiyun & Lai, Xinmin, 2019. "Modeling and analysis of water droplet dynamics in the dead-ended anode gas channel for proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 842-851.
    8. Lai, Tao & Qu, Zhiguo, 2023. "Two polytetrafluoroethylene distribution effects on liquid water dynamic behavior in gas diffusion layer of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell with a pore-scale method," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    9. Sun, Cheng & Wang, Yun & McMurtrey, Michael D. & Jerred, Nathan D. & Liou, Frank & Li, Ju, 2021. "Additive manufacturing for energy: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(PA).
    10. Fu, Ya-Lu & Zhang, Biao & Zhu, Xun & Ye, Ding-Ding & Sui, Pang-Chieh & Djilali, Ned, 2020. "Pore-scale modeling of oxygen transport in the catalyst layer of air-breathing cathode in membraneless microfluidic fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
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    12. Jiao, Daokuan & Jiao, Kui & Zhong, Shenghui & Du, Qing, 2022. "Investigations on heat and mass transfer in gas diffusion layers of PEMFC with a gas–liquid-solid coupled model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).
    13. Wong, A.K.C. & Ge, N. & Shrestha, P. & Liu, H. & Fahy, K. & Bazylak, A., 2019. "Polytetrafluoroethylene content in standalone microporous layers: Tradeoff between membrane hydration and mass transport losses in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C), pages 549-560.
    14. Marco Mariani & Andrea Basso Peressut & Saverio Latorrata & Riccardo Balzarotti & Maurizio Sansotera & Giovanni Dotelli, 2021. "The Role of Fluorinated Polymers in the Water Management of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-17, December.
    15. Ikechukwu S. Anyanwu & Zhiqiang Niu & Daokuan Jiao & Aezid-Ul-Hassan Najmi & Zhi Liu & Kui Jiao, 2020. "Liquid Water Transport Behavior at GDL-Channel Interface of a Wave-Like Channel," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, May.
    16. Xia, Lingchao & Ni, Meng & He, Qijiao & Xu, Qidong & Cheng, Chun, 2021. "Optimization of gas diffusion layer in high temperature PEMFC with the focuses on thickness and porosity," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).

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