Journal of the Korean Society of Mechanical Technology (한국기계기술학회지)

Korean Society of Mechanical Technology (한국기계기술학회)
권호 표지

Numerical Simulation of Liquid Droplet-Droplet Interaction in a PEMFC Gas Channel

PEMFC 가스채널 내의 액적-액적 상호작용에 대한 수치모사

  • 조재혁 (공주대학교 대학원 기계공학과) ;
  • 김우태 (공주대학교 기계자동차공학부)
  • Received : 2014.11.21
  • Accepted : 2014.12.11
  • Published : 2014.12.30
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

The dynamic interaction of liquid droplets emerging from the gas diffusion layer surface is modeled to study the behavior of liquid water inside the gas channel of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell with the volume of fluid formulation(VOF). The surface contact angle of gas diffusion layer is varied as 45, 90, and 140 degrees. The gas channel air inlet velocity is varied as 5, 10, and 15 m/s. The water inlet velocity from micro pores is varied as 0.5, 1, and 2 m/s. As the contact angle increases, water coverage ratio increases. As the air inlet velocity and the water inlet velocity increase, water droplets move faster toward the channel exit as evidenced from the water front location plots. In summary, the hydrophobic wall contact angle and higher air/water inlet velocities provide better water removal characteristics.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : 한국에너지기술평가원(KETEP)

References

  1. R. O'Hayre, S. W. Cha, and R. B. Prinz, "Fuel Cell Fundamentals", John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2006
  2. D. R. Lee, J. M. Bae, and D. H. Ahmed, "Numerical Study for the Effect of Inlet Humidity Condition at PEMFC Channel", Journal of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers, Vol. 30, No. 12, pp. 1228-1235, 2006 https://doi.org/10.3795/KSME-B.2006.30.12.1228
  3. W. Yuan, Y. Tang, M. Pan, Z. Li, and B. Tang "Model Prediction of Effects of Operating Parameters on Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance", Renewable Energy, Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 656-666, 2010 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2009.08.017
  4. X. Liu, H. Guo, F. Ye, and C. F. Ma, "Water Flooding and Pressure Drop Characteristics in Flow Channels of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells", Electrochimica Acta, Vol. 52, No. 11, pp 3607-3614, 2007 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2006.10.030
  5. W. S. Che, "Deformation Analysis and Design Modification of the Case of the Air Blower for Fuel Cell", Journal of Korean Society of Mechanical Technology, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 33-38, 2011
  6. E. Mancusi, E. Fontana, A. A. Ulson De Souza, and S. M. A. Guelli Ulson De Souza, "Numerical Study of Two-Phase Flow Patterns in the Gas Channel of PEM Fuel cells with Tapered Flow Field Design", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 2261-2273, 2014 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.11.106
  7. Y. Ding, H. T. Bi, D. P. Wilkinson, "Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Water Droplet Emerging from a Gas Diffusion Layer Surface in Micro-Channel", Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 195, No. 21, pp. 7278-7288, 2010 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.05.059
  8. X. Zhu, P. C. Sui, and N. Djilali, "Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulations of Water Droplet Dynamics in a PEMFC Gas Channel", Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 181, No. 1, pp. 101-115, 2008 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2008.03.005
  9. B. Han, J. Yu, and H. Meng, "Lattice Boltzmann Simulations of Liquid Droplets Development and Interaction in a Gas Channel of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell", Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 202, pp. 175-183, 2012 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2011.11.071
  10. ANSYS Inc., ANSYS FLUENT User's Guide Release 13.0, 2010
  11. J. H. Jo and W. T. Kim, "Numerical Analysis of the Effect of Porosity, Relative Humidity, and Electrical Conductivity on PEMFC Performance", Journal of the Korean Society of Mechanical Technology, Vol.15, No. 1, pp. 103-108, 2013 https://doi.org/10.17958/ksmt.15.1.201302.103
  12. J. H. Jo and W. T. Kim, "Numerical Analysis of the Effect of Operating Pressure and Operating Temperature on PEMFC Performance", Journal of the Korean Society of Mechanical Technology, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 247-253, 2013 https://doi.org/10.17958/ksmt.15.2.201304.247