IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v13y2020i11p2726-d364332.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Liquid Water Transport Behavior at GDL-Channel Interface of a Wave-Like Channel

Author

Listed:
  • Ikechukwu S. Anyanwu

    (State Key Laboratory of Engines, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China)

  • Zhiqiang Niu

    (State Key Laboratory of Engines, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China)

  • Daokuan Jiao

    (State Key Laboratory of Engines, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China)

  • Aezid-Ul-Hassan Najmi

    (State Key Laboratory of Engines, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China)

  • Zhi Liu

    (State Key Laboratory of Engines, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China)

  • Kui Jiao

    (State Key Laboratory of Engines, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China)

Abstract

This paper evaluates the liquid water at the gas diffusion layer-channel (GDL-channel) interface of reconstructed GDL microstructures with uniform and non-uniform fiber diameters in wave-like channels. A non-uniform GDL microstructure is reconstructed for the first time at the GDL-channel interface to evaluate droplet motion. The three-layer GDL microstructures are generated using the stochastic technique and implemented using the OpenFOAM computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software (OpenFOAM-6, OpenFOAM Foundation Ltd., London, UK). The present study considers the relationship between reconstructed GDL surfaces with varying fiber diameters, wettability, superficial inlet velocity and droplet size. Results show that the droplet detachment and the average droplet velocity decrease with an increase in the fiber diameter as well as the structural arrangement of the fibers. Under the non-uniform fiber arrangement, the removal rate of water droplets is not significantly improved. However, the choice of smaller fiber diameters facilitates the transport of droplets, as hydrophobicity increases even at slight surface roughness. The results also indicate that the average droplet velocity decreases under low inlet velocity conditions while increasing under high inlet velocity conditions. Therefore, the structural make-up of the GDL-channel interface influences the droplet dynamics, and the implementation of a non-uniform GDL structure should also be considered in the GDL designs.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:11:p:2726-:d:364332
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/11/2726/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/11/2726/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jin Hyun Kim & Woo Tae Kim, 2018. "Numerical Investigation of Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow inside PEMFC Gas Channels with Rectangular and Trapezoidal Cross Sections," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Jiao, Kui & Park, Jaewan & Li, Xianguo, 2010. "Experimental investigations on liquid water removal from the gas diffusion layer by reactant flow in a PEM fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(9), pages 2770-2777, September.
    3. 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.
    4. Oluwatosin Ijaodola & Emmanuel Ogungbemi & Fawwad Nisar. Khatib & Tabbi Wilberforce & Mohamad Ramadan & Zaki El Hassan & James Thompson & Abdul Ghani Olabi, 2018. "Evaluating the Effect of Metal Bipolar Plate Coating on the Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-28, November.
    5. Park, Jae Wan & Jiao, Kui & Li, Xianguo, 2010. "Numerical investigations on liquid water removal from the porous gas diffusion layer by reactant flow," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(7), pages 2180-2186, July.
    6. Nguyen Duy Vinh & Hyung-Man Kim, 2016. "Comparison of Numerical and Experimental Studies for Flow-Field Optimization Based on Under-Rib Convection in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-17, October.
    7. Ikechukwu S. Anyanwu & Yuze Hou & Wenmiao Chen & Fengwen Pan & Qing Du & Jin Xuan & Kui Jiao, 2019. "Numerical Investigation of Liquid Water Transport Dynamics in Novel Hybrid Sinusoidal Flow Channel Designs for PEMFC," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-20, October.
    8. Riccardo Balzarotti & Saverio Latorrata & Marco Mariani & Paola Gallo Stampino & Giovanni Dotelli, 2020. "Optimization of Perfluoropolyether-Based Gas Diffusion Media Preparation for PEM Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-14, April.
    9. Xuyang Zhang & Andrew Higier & Xu Zhang & Hongtan Liu, 2019. "Experimental Studies of Effect of Land Width in PEM Fuel Cells with Serpentine Flow Field and Carbon Cloth," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-10, February.
    10. Jun Shen & Zhichun Liu & Fan Liu & Wei Liu, 2018. "Numerical Simulation of Water Transport in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Flow Channel," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-23, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xiao, Liusheng & Bian, Miaoqi & Sun, Yushuai & Yuan, Jinliang & Wen, Xiaofei, 2024. "Transport properties evaluation of pore-scale GDLs for PEMFC using orthogonal design method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 357(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xuyang Zhang & Andrew Higier & Xu Zhang & Hongtan Liu, 2019. "Experimental Studies of Effect of Land Width in PEM Fuel Cells with Serpentine Flow Field and Carbon Cloth," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-10, February.
    2. Soopee, Asif & Sasmito, Agus P. & Shamim, Tariq, 2019. "Water droplet dynamics in a dead-end anode proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233, pages 300-311.
    3. 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.
    4. Jiao, Kui & Bachman, John & Zhou, Yibo & Park, Jae Wan, 2014. "Effect of induced cross flow on flow pattern and performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 75-82.
    5. Lin, Chen & Yan, Xiaohui & Wei, Guanghua & Ke, Changchun & Shen, Shuiyun & Zhang, Junliang, 2019. "Optimization of configurations and cathode operating parameters on liquid-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell stacks by orthogonal method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    6. 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.
    7. Yan, Xiaohui & Lin, Chen & Zheng, Zhifeng & Chen, Junren & Wei, Guanghua & Zhang, Junliang, 2020. "Effect of clamping pressure on liquid-cooled PEMFC stack performance considering inhomogeneous gas diffusion layer compression," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    8. Oh, Hwanyeong & Park, Jaeman & Min, Kyoungdoug & Lee, Eunsook & Jyoung, Jy-Young, 2015. "Effects of pore size gradient in the substrate of a gas diffusion layer on the performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 186-193.
    9. Wu, Horng-Wen & Ku, Hui-Wen, 2011. "The optimal parameters estimation for rectangular cylinders installed transversely in the flow channel of PEMFC from a three-dimensional PEMFC model and the Taguchi method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 4879-4890.
    10. Alaefour, Ibrahim & Karimi, G. & Jiao, Kui & Li, X., 2012. "Measurement of current distribution in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with various flow arrangements – A parametric study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 80-89.
    11. Bao Li & Shibo Cao & Yanzhou Qin & Xin Liu & Xiaomin Xu & Qianfan Xin, 2024. "Liquid Water Transport and Distribution in the Gas Diffusion Layer of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Considering Interfacial Cracks," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-18, October.
    12. Li, Linjun & Wang, Shixue & Yue, Like & Wang, Guozhuo, 2019. "Cold-start method for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells based on locally heating the cathode," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    13. 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.
    14. 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.
    15. Baricci, Andrea & Mereu, Riccardo & Messaggi, Mirko & Zago, Matteo & Inzoli, Fabio & Casalegno, Andrea, 2017. "Application of computational fluid dynamics to the analysis of geometrical features in PEM fuel cells flow fields with the aid of impedance spectroscopy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 670-682.
    16. 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.
    17. Jin-Soo Park, 2021. "Hydrogen-Based Energy Conversion: Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells and Electrolysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-2, August.
    18. Ismail, M.S. & Hughes, K.J. & Ingham, D.B. & Ma, L. & Pourkashanian, M., 2012. "Effects of anisotropic permeability and electrical conductivity of gas diffusion layers on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 50-63.
    19. Zhou, Zihan & Qiu, Diankai & Zhai, Shuang & Peng, Linfa & Lai, Xinmin, 2020. "Investigation of the assembly for high-power proton exchange membrane fuel cell stacks through an efficient equivalent model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    20. Ye, Lingfeng & Qiu, Diankai & Peng, Linfa & Lai, Xinmin, 2022. "Microstructures and electrical conductivity properties of compressed gas diffusion layers using X-ray tomography," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:11:p:2726-:d:364332. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.