Gas-Phase Mass-Transfer Resistances at Polymeric Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells Electrodes: Theoretical Analysis on the Effectiveness of Interdigitated and Serpentine Flow Arrangements

Elisabetta Arato, Marzia Pinna, Michela Mazzoccoli and Barbara Bosio
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Elisabetta Arato: Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering; University of Genoa, Via Opera Pia 15, Genoa -16145, Italy
Marzia Pinna: Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering; University of Genoa, Via Opera Pia 15, Genoa -16145, Italy
Michela Mazzoccoli: Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering; University of Genoa, Via Opera Pia 15, Genoa -16145, Italy
Barbara Bosio: Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering; University of Genoa, Via Opera Pia 15, Genoa -16145, Italy

Energies, 2016, vol. 9, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: Mass transfer phenomena in polymeric electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) electrodes has already been analyzed in terms of the interactions between diffusive and forced flows. It was demonstrated that the whole phenomenon could be summarized by expressing the Sherwood number as a function of the Peclet number. The dependence of Sherwood number on Peclet one Sh(Pe) function, which was initially deduced by determining three different flow regimes, has now been given a more accurate description. A comparison between the approximate and the accurate results for a reference condition of diluted reactant and limit current has shown that the former are useful for rapid, preliminary calculations. However, a more precise and reliable estimation of the Sherwood number is worth attention, as it provides a detailed description of the electrochemical kinetics and allows a reliable comparison of the various geometrical arrangements used for the distribution of the reactants.

Keywords: transport phenomena; modeling; polymeric membrane fuel cells; gas flow mode (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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