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Pore-scale simulation of two-phase flow and oxygen reactive transport in gas diffusion layer of proton exchange membrane fuel cells: Effects of nonuniform wettability and porosity

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  • Guo, Lingyi
  • Chen, Li
  • Zhang, Ruiyuan
  • Peng, Ming
  • Tao, Wen-Quan

Abstract

Enhancing oxygen transport and reducing water flooding in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) of proton exchange membrane fuel cells are important for improving cell performance. In this study, a pore-scale model based on the lattice Boltzmann method is proposed, which considers two-phase flow, oxygen diffusion and electrochemical reaction in the GDL. The invasion speed of the water into the GDL is determined by the water generation rate and correspondingly the oxygen consumption rate. The model is then adopted to study effects of wettability and porosity distribution on the liquid water saturation, oxygen concentration and current density. The results demonstrate that while reducing the total saturation in the GDL is important, decreasing the local saturation near the microporous layer (MPL)/GDL interface is also crucial for enhancing cell performance. It is found that GDL with locally enhanced hydrophobicity at the MPL/GDL interface or gradually increased porosity from the GDL bottom to the GDL top can improve cell performance. Particularly, by delicately designing the GDL porosity, the current density can be considerably increased by 201%. The developed pore-scale model provides a useful tool for understanding the underlying multiphase reactive transport processes in GDL and designing the microscopic structures of GDL.

Suggested Citation

  • Guo, Lingyi & Chen, Li & Zhang, Ruiyuan & Peng, Ming & Tao, Wen-Quan, 2022. "Pore-scale simulation of two-phase flow and oxygen reactive transport in gas diffusion layer of proton exchange membrane fuel cells: Effects of nonuniform wettability and porosity," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:253:y:2022:i:c:s0360544222010040
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2022.124101
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    8. Kong, Im Mo & Jung, Aeri & Kim, Young Sang & Kim, Min Soo, 2017. "Numerical investigation on double gas diffusion backing layer functionalized on water removal in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 478-487.
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    2. Lin, Rui & Dong, Mengcheng & Lan, Shunbo & Lou, Mingyu, 2023. "Numerical simulation of liquid water transport in perforated cracks of microporous layer," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PB).
    3. Song Yan & Mingyang Yang & Chuanyu Sun & Sichuan Xu, 2023. "Liquid Water Characteristics in the Compressed Gradient Porosity Gas Diffusion Layer of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Using the Lattice Boltzmann Method," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-18, August.
    4. Ming Peng & Enci Dong & Li Chen & Yu Wang & Wen-Quan Tao, 2022. "Effects of Cathode Gas Diffusion Layer Configuration on the Performance of Open Cathode Air-Cooled Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-21, August.
    5. Chen, Chaogang & Gao, Yuan, 2024. "Using multi-threshold non-local means joint distribution method to analysis the spatial distribution patterns of binder and fibers in gas diffusion layers of fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 358(C).
    6. Feng, Pengfei & Tan, Ligang & Cao, Yucheng & Chen, Ding, 2023. "Numerical investigations of two-phase flow coupled with species transport in proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PA).

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