Performance Comparison of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis Cell Using Channel and PTL Flow Fields through Three-Dimensional Two-Phase Flow Simulation
Water electrolysis technology is required to overcome the intermittency of renewable energy sources. Among various water electrolysis methods, the proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) cell has the advantages of a fast response and high current density. However, high capital costs have...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Membranes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/12/12/1260 |
| _version_ | 1797456414609768448 |
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| author | Seongsoon Park Woojung Lee Youngseung Na |
| author_facet | Seongsoon Park Woojung Lee Youngseung Na |
| author_sort | Seongsoon Park |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Water electrolysis technology is required to overcome the intermittency of renewable energy sources. Among various water electrolysis methods, the proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) cell has the advantages of a fast response and high current density. However, high capital costs have hindered the commercialization of PEMWE; therefore, it is important to lower the price of bipolar plates, which make PEMWE expensive. In addition, since the flow field inscribed in the bipolar plate significantly influences the performance, it is necessary to design the enhanced pattern. A three-dimensional two-phase flow model was used to analyze the two-phase flow and electrochemical reactions of the PEMWE anode. In order to compare the experimental results with the simulation, experiments were conducted according to the flow rate, and the results were in good agreement. First, as a result of comparing the performance of the channel and PTL (porous transport layer) flow fields, the channel flow field showed better performance than the PTL flow field. For the channel flow field, the higher the ratio of the channel width-to-rib width and the permeability of PTL, the performance got better. In the case of the PTL flow field, with the increased capillary pressure, the performance improved even if the PTL permeability decreased. Next, the direction of gravity affected the performance only when the channel flow field was used, and the X+ and Z+ directions were optimal for the performance. Finally, increasing the inlet flow rate could reduce the difference in performance between the channel and PTL flow fields, but the pressure drop gradually increased. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:07:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-be12d03f15324c4c9740338cc943cfa7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:07:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Membranes |
| spelling | doaj.art-be12d03f15324c4c9740338cc943cfa72023-11-24T16:36:12ZengMDPI AGMembranes2077-03752022-12-011212126010.3390/membranes12121260Performance Comparison of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis Cell Using Channel and PTL Flow Fields through Three-Dimensional Two-Phase Flow SimulationSeongsoon Park0Woojung Lee1Youngseung Na2Department of Mechanical and Information Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul 02054, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Mechanical and Information Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul 02054, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Mechanical and Information Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul 02054, Republic of KoreaWater electrolysis technology is required to overcome the intermittency of renewable energy sources. Among various water electrolysis methods, the proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) cell has the advantages of a fast response and high current density. However, high capital costs have hindered the commercialization of PEMWE; therefore, it is important to lower the price of bipolar plates, which make PEMWE expensive. In addition, since the flow field inscribed in the bipolar plate significantly influences the performance, it is necessary to design the enhanced pattern. A three-dimensional two-phase flow model was used to analyze the two-phase flow and electrochemical reactions of the PEMWE anode. In order to compare the experimental results with the simulation, experiments were conducted according to the flow rate, and the results were in good agreement. First, as a result of comparing the performance of the channel and PTL (porous transport layer) flow fields, the channel flow field showed better performance than the PTL flow field. For the channel flow field, the higher the ratio of the channel width-to-rib width and the permeability of PTL, the performance got better. In the case of the PTL flow field, with the increased capillary pressure, the performance improved even if the PTL permeability decreased. Next, the direction of gravity affected the performance only when the channel flow field was used, and the X+ and Z+ directions were optimal for the performance. Finally, increasing the inlet flow rate could reduce the difference in performance between the channel and PTL flow fields, but the pressure drop gradually increased.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/12/12/1260PEMWEflow fieldtwo-phase flow simulationbubble overvoltagechannel geometryPTL properties |
| spellingShingle | Seongsoon Park Woojung Lee Youngseung Na Performance Comparison of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis Cell Using Channel and PTL Flow Fields through Three-Dimensional Two-Phase Flow Simulation Membranes PEMWE flow field two-phase flow simulation bubble overvoltage channel geometry PTL properties |
| title | Performance Comparison of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis Cell Using Channel and PTL Flow Fields through Three-Dimensional Two-Phase Flow Simulation |
| title_full | Performance Comparison of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis Cell Using Channel and PTL Flow Fields through Three-Dimensional Two-Phase Flow Simulation |
| title_fullStr | Performance Comparison of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis Cell Using Channel and PTL Flow Fields through Three-Dimensional Two-Phase Flow Simulation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Performance Comparison of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis Cell Using Channel and PTL Flow Fields through Three-Dimensional Two-Phase Flow Simulation |
| title_short | Performance Comparison of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis Cell Using Channel and PTL Flow Fields through Three-Dimensional Two-Phase Flow Simulation |
| title_sort | performance comparison of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis cell using channel and ptl flow fields through three dimensional two phase flow simulation |
| topic | PEMWE flow field two-phase flow simulation bubble overvoltage channel geometry PTL properties |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/12/12/1260 |
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