A two-fluid model for two-phase flow in PEMFCs

In this study, a two-fluid (TF) model is developed for two-phase flows in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The drag force and lift force between gas and liquid phase are considered in N-S equations. In addition, a simplified model is introduced to obtain the liquid water droplet detachment diameter on the gas diffusion layer (GDL)/channel interface which involves the properties of the GDL/channel interface (contact angle and surface tension). The TF model and the simplified model for the prediction of water droplet detachment diameter on GDL/channel interface are validated by the comparison between the experimental data and the model results, respectively. The effect of the properties of GDL/channel interface (contact angle and surface tension) on two-phase behavior in PEMFCs is investigated, The results show that a high contact angle and a low surface tension are advantageous for liquid water removal in the gas channel and the GDL even though a low surface tension will lead to a low capillary force in the GDL.

[1]  Nathan P. Siegel,et al.  A two-dimensional computational model of a PEMFC with liquid water transport , 2004 .

[2]  T. Nguyen,et al.  Two-phase flow model of the cathode of PEM fuel cells using interdigitated flow fields , 2000 .

[3]  Hongtan Liu,et al.  A two-phase flow and transport model for the cathode of PEM fuel cells , 2002 .

[4]  R. Clift,et al.  Bubbles, Drops, and Particles , 1978 .

[5]  J. Higdon,et al.  Displacement of fluid droplets from solid surfaces in low-Reynolds-number shear flows , 1997 .

[6]  E. Bender.  Numerical heat transfer and fluid flow. Von S. V. Patankar. Hemisphere Publishing Corporation, Washington – New York – London. McGraw Hill Book Company, New York 1980. 1. Aufl., 197 S., 76 Abb., geb., DM 71,90 , 1981 .

[7]  Chao-Yang Wang,et al.  Model of Two-Phase Flow and Flooding Dynamics in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells , 2005 .

[8]  Extrand,et al.  An Experimental Study of Contact Angle Hysteresis , 1997, Journal of colloid and interface science.

[9]  Chao-Yang Wang,et al.  Two-Phase Transport in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells with Bilayer Cathode Gas Diffusion Media , 2005 .

[10]  Z. H. Wang,et al.  Two-phase flow and transport in the air cathode of proton exchange membrane fuel cells , 2000 .

[11]  Feng-Yuan Zhang,et al.  Liquid Water Removal from a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell , 2006 .

[12]  Chao-Yang Wang,et al.  Quantification of Liquid Water Saturation in a PEM Fuel Cell Diffusion Medium Using X-ray Microtomography , 2006 .

[13]  Hong Sun,et al.  PEM fuel cell performance and its two-phase mass transport , 2005 .

[14]  Hubert A. Gasteiger,et al.  Handbook of fuel cells : fundamentals technology and applications , 2003 .

[15]  Trung Van Nguyen,et al.  A Two-Dimensional, Two-Phase, Multicomponent, Transient Model for the Cathode of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Using Conventional Gas Distributors [Journal of the Electrochemical Society 148, A1324 (2001)] , 2003 .

[16]  Hongtan Liu,et al.  A two-phase flow and transport model for PEM fuel cells , 2006 .

[17]  T. Springer,et al.  Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Model , 1991 .

[18]  C. Hebling,et al.  Visualization of water buildup in the cathode of a transparent PEM fuel cell , 2003 .

[19]  Mamoru Ishii,et al.  Two-fluid model and hydrodynamic constitutive relations , 1984 .

[20]  J. Higdon,et al.  On the displacement of three-dimensional fluid droplets adhering to a plane wall in viscous pressure-driven flows , 2001, Journal of Fluid Mechanics.

[21]  Donald A. Drew,et al.  The virtual mass and lift force on a sphere in rotating and straining inviscid flow , 1987 .

[22]  John M. Stockie,et al.  A finite volume method for multicomponent gas transport in a porous fuel cell electrode , 2003 .

[23]  Chaoyang Wang,et al.  Visualization of Liquid Water Transport in a PEFC , 2004 .

[24]  Trung Van Nguyen,et al.  A Two-Dimensional, Two-Phase, Multicomponent, Transient Model for the Cathode of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Using Conventional Gas Distributors , 2001 .

[25]  Chao-Yang Wang,et al.  Effects of hydrophobic polymer content in GDL on power performance of a PEM fuel cell , 2004 .

[26]  Christopher Hebling,et al.  A PEM fuel cell for combined measurement of current and temperature distribution, and flow field flooding , 2004 .

[27]  S. Patankar.  Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow , 2018, Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering.