3D Modeling of Catalyst Layers in PEM Fuel Cells

Abstract

Three-dimensional, multicomponent and multiphase transport computations are performed using a computational fluid dynamics ͑CFD͒ code ͑FLUENT͒ with a polymer electrolyte membrane ͑PEM͒ fuel cell module, which has been further improved by taking into account the detailed composition and structure of the catalyst layers using a multiple thin-film agglomerate model. In this model, reactant concentrations are dependent on transport through liquid water ͑caused by flooding in the catalyst layer͒ and polymer electrolyte films which surround the catalyst sites. The results of CFD computations show that transport limitations associated with the liquid water and polymer electrolyte have substantial negative effects on PEM fuel cell performance.

Computational Study of Thermal, Water and Gas Management in PEM Fuel Cell Stacks

“…Furthermore, (m) i and (s) i are the current densities carried by protons and electrons respectively. The governing equations are similar to those implemented by Li et al(2004) and Schwarz and and Djilali (2007).…”

Three-dimensional modelling of catalyst layers in PEM fuel cells: Effects of non-uniform catalyst loading

“…The complete model and its CFD implementation are discussed in detail in [7]. The PEM fuel cell model with the multiple thin-film agglomerate model for the catalyst layers is recapped in Table I.…”

“…A mesh consisting of 120 000 computational cells is applied to the domain. Values for the properties of the PEM fuel cell components and of the other parameters used in the CFD computations are given in [7]. Operating conditions in the CFD implementation are for co-flow of humidified hydrogen and air, with fuel cell and anode and cathode humidification temperatures of 701C, anode and cathode back-pressures of 3 atm and constant flow rates corresponding to anode and cathode stoichiometries of 3.32 and 2.56, respectively, at a current density of 1 A cm À2 [7,12].…”

“…Catalyst layer models are reviewed in [7] and the multiple thin-film agglomerate model [8] is found to provide an appropriate representation of the salient macroscopic transport processes in PEM fuel cells. In [7] a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based numerical analysis using a comprehensive PEM fuel cell model, with a three-dimensional extension of the multiple thinfilm agglomerate model for the catalyst layers, is used to investigate effects of ohmic losses and mass-transport limitations on the fuel cell performance.…”

“…In [7] a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based numerical analysis using a comprehensive PEM fuel cell model, with a three-dimensional extension of the multiple thinfilm agglomerate model for the catalyst layers, is used to investigate effects of ohmic losses and mass-transport limitations on the fuel cell performance. In this paper, the PEM fuel cell model with the multiple thin-film agglomerate model for the catalyst layers is further used to investigate reaction distributions and to explore the effect on the fuel cell performance of spatially distributed catalyst loadings.…”