Pore-Scale Modeling of Microporous Layer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell: Effective Transport Properties
A microporous layer (MPL) is a transition layer with a porous material structure, located between the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and catalyst layer (CL) in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). It not only significantly improves electron transfer and heat conduction in membrane electrode asse...
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Membranes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/13/2/219 |
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| author | Heng Zhang Xuanyu Shao Zhigang Zhan Mrittunjoy Sarker Pang-Chieh Sui Po-Ya Abel Chuang Mu Pan |
| author_facet | Heng Zhang Xuanyu Shao Zhigang Zhan Mrittunjoy Sarker Pang-Chieh Sui Po-Ya Abel Chuang Mu Pan |
| author_sort | Heng Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A microporous layer (MPL) is a transition layer with a porous material structure, located between the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and catalyst layer (CL) in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). It not only significantly improves electron transfer and heat conduction in membrane electrode assembly, but also effectively manages liquid water transport to enhance the fuel cell performance. The MPL is usually coated on one side of the GDL. The fragile nature of MPL makes it challenging to characterize the effective transport properties using experimental methods. In this study, a stochastic numerical method is implemented to reconstruct the three-dimensional microstructure of an MPL consisting of carbon particles and PTFE. The reliability of the MPL reconstructed model is validated using experimental data. The relationship between the effective transport properties and the compression strain is obtained using the Pore Scale Model (PSM), while the relationship between the liquid water saturation and capillary pressure is solved by Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). The effective transport properties in the MPL are then imported into the two-phase flow fuel cell model. It is found that the effective transport parameters in MPL obtained by PSM and LBM can improve the accuracy of the model calculation. This study provides an effective method to reconstruct the microstructure of MPL that can generate precise MPL transport parameters for utilization in various PEMFC performance prediction models. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:26:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d9f5aed0df384736a783bc61b9fb8480 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:26:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Membranes |
| spelling | doaj.art-d9f5aed0df384736a783bc61b9fb84802023-11-16T22:02:57ZengMDPI AGMembranes2077-03752023-02-0113221910.3390/membranes13020219Pore-Scale Modeling of Microporous Layer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell: Effective Transport PropertiesHeng Zhang0Xuanyu Shao1Zhigang Zhan2Mrittunjoy Sarker3Pang-Chieh Sui4Po-Ya Abel Chuang5Mu Pan6Foshan Xianhu Laboratory of the Advanced Energy Science and Technology Guangdong Laboratory, Xianhu Hydrogen Valley, Foshan 528200, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaMechanical Engineering, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, USAInstitute for Integrated Energy Systems, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, CanadaMechanical Engineering, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, USAState Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaA microporous layer (MPL) is a transition layer with a porous material structure, located between the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and catalyst layer (CL) in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). It not only significantly improves electron transfer and heat conduction in membrane electrode assembly, but also effectively manages liquid water transport to enhance the fuel cell performance. The MPL is usually coated on one side of the GDL. The fragile nature of MPL makes it challenging to characterize the effective transport properties using experimental methods. In this study, a stochastic numerical method is implemented to reconstruct the three-dimensional microstructure of an MPL consisting of carbon particles and PTFE. The reliability of the MPL reconstructed model is validated using experimental data. The relationship between the effective transport properties and the compression strain is obtained using the Pore Scale Model (PSM), while the relationship between the liquid water saturation and capillary pressure is solved by Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). The effective transport properties in the MPL are then imported into the two-phase flow fuel cell model. It is found that the effective transport parameters in MPL obtained by PSM and LBM can improve the accuracy of the model calculation. This study provides an effective method to reconstruct the microstructure of MPL that can generate precise MPL transport parameters for utilization in various PEMFC performance prediction models.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/13/2/219microporous layer (MPL)stochastic numerical methodtransport propertiespore scale modelLattice Boltzmann methodcompression strain |
| spellingShingle | Heng Zhang Xuanyu Shao Zhigang Zhan Mrittunjoy Sarker Pang-Chieh Sui Po-Ya Abel Chuang Mu Pan Pore-Scale Modeling of Microporous Layer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell: Effective Transport Properties Membranes microporous layer (MPL) stochastic numerical method transport properties pore scale model Lattice Boltzmann method compression strain |
| title | Pore-Scale Modeling of Microporous Layer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell: Effective Transport Properties |
| title_full | Pore-Scale Modeling of Microporous Layer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell: Effective Transport Properties |
| title_fullStr | Pore-Scale Modeling of Microporous Layer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell: Effective Transport Properties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pore-Scale Modeling of Microporous Layer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell: Effective Transport Properties |
| title_short | Pore-Scale Modeling of Microporous Layer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell: Effective Transport Properties |
| title_sort | pore scale modeling of microporous layer for proton exchange membrane fuel cell effective transport properties |
| topic | microporous layer (MPL) stochastic numerical method transport properties pore scale model Lattice Boltzmann method compression strain |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/13/2/219 |
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