Numerical Study on the Effects of Water and Heat Transport on Two-Phase Flow in a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell

Dapeng Gong, Sichuan Xu, Xuhui Wang and Yuan Gao ()
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Dapeng Gong: School of Automotive Studies, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Sichuan Xu: School of Automotive Studies, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Xuhui Wang: China Automotive Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd., Chongqing 401122, China
Yuan Gao: School of Automotive Studies, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 21, 1-24

Abstract: A one-dimensional transient non-isothermal model was developed to study the two-phase flow phenomenon in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The model focused on the phase change between vapor and liquid water, and the transport of oxygen, hydrogen, water, and heat. The cell was discretized into 39 control volumes, and the finite volume method and the iteration method were used to solve the transport equations. The variations in the state parameters of the model during fuel cell operations were analyzed. The results showed that, when the inlet gas humidity was high, the vapor tended to condense in gas diffusion layer regions close to the gas channel. As temperatures in these regions were low, the vapor was more likely to condense. Liquid water appeared latest in the middle of the anode gas diffusion layer, because the vapor concentration in this area is always lower than its saturated value. A higher operating temperature in a cell is beneficial to prevent flooding at the cathode.

Keywords: polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell; two-phase flow; heat transport; phase change; one-dimensional model; finite volume method (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: 2022
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