Impacts of inhomogeneous clamping force on local performance and liquid water formation in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Mehrtash, Mehdi and Tari, İlker and Yeşilyurt, Serhat (2017) Impacts of inhomogeneous clamping force on local performance and liquid water formation in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 42 (30). pp. 19227-19245. ISSN 0360-3199 (Print) 1879-3487 (Online)

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Abstract

A two dimensional, half-cell, non-isothermal, multi-phase model of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) is developed. The model accounts for the acting clamping force on the cell with accompanying effects on gas transport properties and contact resistances. Spatial variations of anisotropic structural and physical properties of gas diffusion layers (GDLs) in both in-plane and through-plane directions are considered. Designed mechanistic model is compared and validated with the experimental data for voltage-current characteristics and channel-rib current density distribution for the first time. Significant changes are observed in local gas and water concentrations as well as current density profiles with respect to cell compression and humidity ratios of entrant gases. Compression exacerbates the liquid saturation under the rib in consequence of porosity and permeability reduction. Under compression, phase change rate increases in the cell; degree of supersaturation under the channel escalates leading to higher condensation rate while degree of undersaturation under the rib increases leading to higher evaporation rate.
Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Clamping force; Effective diffusivity; Liquid water saturation; Local current distribution; Phase change rate; Polymer electrolyte fuel cell
Divisions: Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences > Academic programs > Mechatronics
Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
Depositing User: Serhat Yeşilyurt
Date Deposited: 19 Aug 2017 12:28
Last Modified: 26 Apr 2022 09:48
URI: https://research.sabanciuniv.edu/id/eprint/33085

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