Numerical Simulation of Water Transport in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Flow Channel
Water management of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is crucial to maintain high performance and stable operation. The flow channel is an indispensable part of PEMFCs, which allows the reactant gases to flow into the system, and the liquid water to be removed from the fuel cells. A trans...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-07-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/7/1770 |
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| author | Jun Shen Zhichun Liu Fan Liu Wei Liu |
| author_facet | Jun Shen Zhichun Liu Fan Liu Wei Liu |
| author_sort | Jun Shen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Water management of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is crucial to maintain high performance and stable operation. The flow channel is an indispensable part of PEMFCs, which allows the reactant gases to flow into the system, and the liquid water to be removed from the fuel cells. A transient 3D model based on volume of fluid methodology is used to study the dynamic characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in a PEMFC flow channel. The structure of the flow channel, the wettability of channel surfaces, the air inlet velocity, the dimensions of the water droplets, and the effect of phase transition are considered to obtain the optimal solution. The results show that the water droplet transport process is seriously affected by the wettability of the channel surfaces. A modified surface design with varied static surface contact angle could perform the detachment without external force with an appropriate initial velocity. Besides, phase transitions could seriously influence the form and the distribution of water existing in the channel. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:11:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-579273df9b2a45cca2fdc67c9ebed5d0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:11:44Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-579273df9b2a45cca2fdc67c9ebed5d02022-12-22T04:27:26ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732018-07-01117177010.3390/en11071770en11071770Numerical Simulation of Water Transport in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Flow ChannelJun Shen0Zhichun Liu1Fan Liu2Wei Liu3School of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSchool of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSchool of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSchool of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaWater management of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is crucial to maintain high performance and stable operation. The flow channel is an indispensable part of PEMFCs, which allows the reactant gases to flow into the system, and the liquid water to be removed from the fuel cells. A transient 3D model based on volume of fluid methodology is used to study the dynamic characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in a PEMFC flow channel. The structure of the flow channel, the wettability of channel surfaces, the air inlet velocity, the dimensions of the water droplets, and the effect of phase transition are considered to obtain the optimal solution. The results show that the water droplet transport process is seriously affected by the wettability of the channel surfaces. A modified surface design with varied static surface contact angle could perform the detachment without external force with an appropriate initial velocity. Besides, phase transitions could seriously influence the form and the distribution of water existing in the channel.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/7/1770two-phasevolume of fluid (VOF)water transportfuel cellphase transition |
| spellingShingle | Jun Shen Zhichun Liu Fan Liu Wei Liu Numerical Simulation of Water Transport in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Flow Channel Energies two-phase volume of fluid (VOF) water transport fuel cell phase transition |
| title | Numerical Simulation of Water Transport in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Flow Channel |
| title_full | Numerical Simulation of Water Transport in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Flow Channel |
| title_fullStr | Numerical Simulation of Water Transport in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Flow Channel |
| title_full_unstemmed | Numerical Simulation of Water Transport in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Flow Channel |
| title_short | Numerical Simulation of Water Transport in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Flow Channel |
| title_sort | numerical simulation of water transport in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell flow channel |
| topic | two-phase volume of fluid (VOF) water transport fuel cell phase transition |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/7/1770 |
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