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Influence of anisotropic gas diffusion layers on transport phenomena in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Li, Shian LU ; Yuan, Jinliang LU ; Andersson, Martin LU ; Xie, Gongnan LU and Sundén, Bengt LU (2017) In International Journal of Energy Research 41(14). p.2034-2050
Abstract

The gas diffusion layer is an anisotropic porous medium, which provides pathways for the reactant gases and produced water, conducts the electrical current, removes the generated heat, and provides mechanical support. However, the gas diffusion layer is mostly considered as isotropic in numerical simulations. In the present study, a three-dimensional, two-phase flow, and non-isothermal agglomerate model with consideration of anisotropic permeability, mass diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity was developed and employed to investigate effects of anisotropic properties on the transport phenomena in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The temperature of the anisotropic case is less than that of the isotropic... (More)

The gas diffusion layer is an anisotropic porous medium, which provides pathways for the reactant gases and produced water, conducts the electrical current, removes the generated heat, and provides mechanical support. However, the gas diffusion layer is mostly considered as isotropic in numerical simulations. In the present study, a three-dimensional, two-phase flow, and non-isothermal agglomerate model with consideration of anisotropic permeability, mass diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity was developed and employed to investigate effects of anisotropic properties on the transport phenomena in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The temperature of the anisotropic case is less than that of the isotropic case, and the temperature difference increases with increasing current density. Furthermore, the distributions of the oxygen mass fraction, liquid water saturation, water content, and local current density for both cases are also compared and discussed in detail. The cell performance is over-predicted by the isotropic model, and the current density of the isotropic case is greater than that of the anisotropic case by approximately 10% at an operating cell voltage of 0.3 V. Both the local transport characteristics and overall cell performance are different for the isotropic and anisotropic cases. Accordingly, it is concluded that the anisotropic properties of the gas diffusion layer must be taken into account in the mathematical model.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Anisotropic properties, Numerical modeling, Proton exchange membrane fuel cell, Transport phenomena
in
International Journal of Energy Research
volume
41
issue
14
pages
2034 - 2050
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • wos:000413319600007
  • scopus:85018310067
ISSN
0363-907X
DOI
10.1002/er.3763
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3645e9d7-4824-410f-9389-b5d7ad0a157e
date added to LUP
2017-05-23 11:55:52
date last changed
2024-03-31 10:11:47
@article{3645e9d7-4824-410f-9389-b5d7ad0a157e,
  abstract     = {{<p>The gas diffusion layer is an anisotropic porous medium, which provides pathways for the reactant gases and produced water, conducts the electrical current, removes the generated heat, and provides mechanical support. However, the gas diffusion layer is mostly considered as isotropic in numerical simulations. In the present study, a three-dimensional, two-phase flow, and non-isothermal agglomerate model with consideration of anisotropic permeability, mass diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity was developed and employed to investigate effects of anisotropic properties on the transport phenomena in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The temperature of the anisotropic case is less than that of the isotropic case, and the temperature difference increases with increasing current density. Furthermore, the distributions of the oxygen mass fraction, liquid water saturation, water content, and local current density for both cases are also compared and discussed in detail. The cell performance is over-predicted by the isotropic model, and the current density of the isotropic case is greater than that of the anisotropic case by approximately 10% at an operating cell voltage of 0.3 V. Both the local transport characteristics and overall cell performance are different for the isotropic and anisotropic cases. Accordingly, it is concluded that the anisotropic properties of the gas diffusion layer must be taken into account in the mathematical model.</p>}},
  author       = {{Li, Shian and Yuan, Jinliang and Andersson, Martin and Xie, Gongnan and Sundén, Bengt}},
  issn         = {{0363-907X}},
  keywords     = {{Anisotropic properties; Numerical modeling; Proton exchange membrane fuel cell; Transport phenomena}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{14}},
  pages        = {{2034--2050}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Energy Research}},
  title        = {{Influence of anisotropic gas diffusion layers on transport phenomena in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/er.3763}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/er.3763}},
  volume       = {{41}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}