Pore-Network Modeling of Water and Vapor Transport in the Micro Porous Layer and Gas Diffusion Layer of a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell

Abstract

Abstract:In the cathode side of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), a micro porous layer (MPL) added between the catalyst layer (CL) and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) plays an important role in water management. In this work, by using both quasi-static and dynamic pore-network models, water and vapor transport in the MPL and GDL has been investigated. We illustrated how the MPL improved water management in the cathode. Furthermore, it was found that dynamic liquid water transport in the GDL was very sensitive to the built-up thermal gradient along the through-plane direction. Thus, we may control water vapor condensation only along GDL-land interfaces by properly adjusting the GDL thermal conductivity. Our numerical results can provide guidelines for optimizing GDL pore structures for good water management.

Liquid water in cathode gas diffusion layers of PEM fuel cells: Identification of various pore filling regimes from pore network simulations

“…This has motivated quite a few studies using various techniques, such as Lattice Boltzmann Method, e.g. [11], or pore network models (PNM) [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]. More classical continuum approaches based on the standard twophase flow model for porous media have been also used, e.g.…”

“…For this reason, this new PNM is called liquid-vapour Mixed Injection PNM (MIPNM). Here, it can be mentioned that such a mixed option as boundary condition at the GDL inlet was considered in the dynamic model presented in [29]. However, the heat transfer problem is not explicitly solved in this model and the simulations were performed in 2D only.…”

Coupled continuum and condensation–evaporation pore network model of the cathode in polymer-electrolyte fuel cell

“…We can also mention the recent numerical work presented in Ref. [22] on the impact of the MPL. This work is based on a twodimensional dynamic pore network taking into account the condensation evaporation phenomena.…”

Stochastic Analysis of the Gas Flow at the Gas Diffusion Layer/Channel Interface of a High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell

“…The approach of analyzing surfaces can potentially also be applied to different simulation techniques. Modeling approaches based on PNM have the potential to cover multiple scales [36,37], and the interfaces between domains of different spatial scales are of high interest for such investigations. In the field of multi-scale simulations, the presented methods can be a vehicle for combining the simulation domains, especially when domains of different spatial scales are connected.…”

“…The GDL/channel interface was investigated by Yu et al [34], who analyzed irregular contact angles of water droplets at the GDL surface and their pattern when they passed the GDL/channel interface at several positions. The relevance of the interface for multi-scale simulations was shown by Qin et al [35,36] and Aghihi et al [37], who used pore network modeling (PNM) to bridge the scales (still on water transport in low temperature PEFCs). Niu et al [38] coupled the LBM in the porous GDL structure with OpenFOAM simulations in the air channel.…”