Water droplet dynamic behavior during removal from a proton exchange membrane fuel cell gas diffusion layer by Lattice-Boltzmann method

Golamreza Molaeimanesh; Mohammad Hadi Akbari

Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol.31, No.4, 598-610, April, 2014

DOI10.1007/s11814-013-0282-6 Export Citation

Water droplet dynamic behavior during removal from a proton exchange membrane fuel cell gas diffusion layer by Lattice-Boltzmann method

Golamreza Molaeimanesh, and Mohammad Hadi Akbari^†

Center for Fuel Cell Research, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71348-51154, Iran

E-mail:

A major challenge in the application of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is water management, with the flooding of electrodes as the main issue. The Lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM) is a relatively new technique that is superior in modeling the dynamic interface of multiphase fluid flow in complex microstructures such as non-homogeneous and anisotropic porous media of PEMFC electrodes. In this study, the dynamic behavior of a water droplet during removal from gas diffusion layer (GDL) of a PEMFC electrode with interdigitated flow field is simulated using LBM. The effects of GDL wettability and its spanwise and transverse gradients on the removal process are investigated. The results demonstrate great influence of wettability and its spanwise and transverse gradients on the dynamic behavior of droplets during the removal process. Although increasing the hydrophobicity of GDL results in better droplet removal, its increase beyond a critical value does not show a significant effect.

Keywords:Multiphase Flow;Water Droplet;Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell;Lattice-Boltzmann Method;GDL Microstructure

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[Referenced By]

[1] Yang TH, Park GG, Pugazhendhi P, Lee WY, Kim CS, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 19(3), 417 (2002)

[2] Dawes JE, Hanspal NS, Family OA, Turan A, Chem. Eng. Sci., 64(12), 2781 (2009)

[3] Jiao K, Li X, Prog. Energy Combust. Sci., 37, 221 (2011)

[4] Wang Y, Chen KS, Mishler J, Cho SC, Adroher XC, Appl. Energy, 88(4), 981 (2011)

[5] Khan MA, Sunden B, Yuan JL, J. Power Sources, 196(19), 7899 (2011)

[6] Succi S, The lattice boltzmann equation for fluid dynamics and beyond numerical mathematics and scientific computation, Clarendon Press, Oxford (2001)

[7] Gao Y, Zhang X, Rama P, Chen R, Ostadi H, Jiang K, Comput. Math. Appl., 65, 891 (2013)

[8] Hao L, Cheng P, J. Power Sources, 195(12), 3870 (2010)

[9] Hao L, Cheng P, Int. J. Heat Mass Transf., 53(9-10), 1908 (2010)

[10] Hao L, Cheng P, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 55, 133 (2011)

[11] Koido T, Furusawa T, Moriyama K, J. Power Sources, 175(1), 127 (2008)

[12] Mukherjee PP, Wang CY, Kang QJ, Electrochim. Acta, 54(27), 6861 (2009)

[13] Niu XD, Munekata T, Hyodo SA, Suga K, J. Power Sources, 172(2), 542 (2007)

[14] Tabe Y, Lee YJ, Chikahisa T, Kozakai M, J. Power Sources, 193(1), 24 (2009)

[15] Ben Salah Y, Tabe Y, Chikahisa Y, J. Power Sources, 199, 85 (2012)

[16] Ben Salah Y, Tabe Y, Chikahisa Y, Energy Procedia, 28, 125 (2012)

[17] Chen L, Luan HB, He YL, Tao WQ, Int. J. Therm. Sci., 5, 132 (2012)

[18] Han B, Meng H, J. Power Sources, 217, 268 (2012)

[19] Han B, Yu J, Meng H, J. Power Sources, 202, 175 (2012)

[20] Hao L, Cheng P, J. Power Sources, 190(2), 435 (2009)

[21] Park J, Li X, J. Power Sources, 178(1), 248 (2008)

[22] Nam JH, Kaviany M, Int. J. Heat Mass Transf., 46(24), 4595 (2003)

[23] Zhang FY, Yang XG, Wang CY, J. Electrochem. Soc., 153, 225 (2006)

[24] Mench MM, Fuel Cell Engines, Wiley, New Jersey (2008)

[25] Daino MM, Kandlikar SG, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy, 37, 5180 (2012)

[26] Zhou P, Wu CW, J. Power Sources, 195(5), 1408 (2010)

[27] Sinha PK, Wang CY, Electrochim. Acta, 52(28), 7936 (2007)

[28] Sinha PK, Wang CY, Chem. Eng. Sci., 63(4), 1081 (2008)

[29] Chen S, Doolen GD, Annu. Rev. Fluid. Mech., 30, 329 (1998)

[30] Shan X, Chen H, Phys. Rev. E, 47, 1815 (1993)

[31] Bhatnagar PL, Gross EP, Krook M, Phys. Rev., 94, 511 (1954)

[32] Gunstensen AK, Rothman DH, Zaleski S, Zanetti G, Phys. Rev. A, 43, 4320 (1991)

[33] Swift MR, Osborn WR, Yeomans JM, Phys. Rev. Lett., 75, 830 (1995)

[34] Mohamad AA, Lattice boltzmann method-fundamentals and engineering applications with computer codes, Springer, Heidelberg (2011)

[35] Sukop MC, Thorne DT, Lattice boltzmann modeling, an introduction for geoscientists and engineers, Springer, Heidelberg (2007)

[36] Yuan P, Schaefer L, Phys. Fluids, 18, 042101 (2006)

[37] Nguyen TV, J. Electrochem. Soc., 143, 103 (1996)

[38] Zou Q, He X, Phys. Fluids, 9, 1591 (1997)

[39] Kumbur EC, Sharp KV, Mench MM, J. Power Sources, 168(2), 356 (2007)

[40] Velayutham G, Kaushik J, Rajalakshmi N, Dhathathreyan KS, Fuel Cells, 7, 314 (2007)