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22 pages, 15033 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unsteady 3D-CFD Simulation of a Large Active Area PEM Fuel Cell under Automotive Operation Conditions—Efficient Parameterization and Simulation Using Numerically Reduced Models

by Maximilian Haslinger and Thomas Lauer

Processes 2022, 10(8), 1605; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10081605 - 13 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3294

Abstract

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are promising devices for securing future sustainable mobility. Their field of application ranges from locally emission-free stationary power generation to propulsion systems for vehicles of all kinds. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations are successfully used to access [...] Read more.

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are promising devices for securing future sustainable mobility. Their field of application ranges from locally emission-free stationary power generation to propulsion systems for vehicles of all kinds. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations are successfully used to access the internal states and processes with high temporal and spatial resolution. It is challenging to obtain reliable physical values of material properties for the parameterization of the numerous governing equations. The current work addresses this problem and uses numerically reduced models to parameterize sophisticated transient 3D-CFD models of a commercial PEMFC. Experimental data from a stack test stand were available as a reference for numerical optimization of selected parameters and validation purposes. With an innovative meshing approach, the homogenized channels approach, a reduction of computational cells by 87% could be achieved, thus enabling the unsteady simulation of a 120 s load step with a computational mesh that represents the entire fuel cell geometry with reasonable computational effort. The water formation and the transport processes during the load step were analyzed. The self-humidification strategy of the fuel cell gases was visualized and the uniformity of the simulated quantities was discussed. An outlook on possible future work on efficient parameterization is given. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Experimental Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Fuel Cells)

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16 pages, 1780 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effect of the Gas Diffusion Layer Design on the Water Management and Cell Performance of a PEM Fuel Cell

by Antonio Martín-Alcántara, Laura González-Morán, Javier Pino, José Guerra and Alfredo Iranzo

Processes 2022, 10(7), 1395; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10071395 - 17 Jul 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2513

Abstract

The influence of the different properties of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) on the operation of a liquid-cooled, proton-exchange polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC) has been studied in this work. Three-dimensional numerical simulations (CFD) have been conducted to compare several commercial GDLs with [...] Read more.

The influence of the different properties of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) on the operation of a liquid-cooled, proton-exchange polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC) has been studied in this work. Three-dimensional numerical simulations (CFD) have been conducted to compare several commercial GDLs with different properties, analyzing their influence on the cell performance. Specifically, four GDLs (AvCarb P-75, SIGRACET 34BC, SIGRACET 34BA and Toray TGP-H-090) have been studied, two of them including a microporous layer (MPL). The effect of the MPL has been inspected by contrast of the results obtained with the same GDL, with or without MPL. Potentiostatic boundary conditions have been applied, varying the electric potential between 1.05 and 0.35 V to obtain a representative

i - V

curve with enough resolution. Detailed postprocessing tasks were carried out to gain a deeper understanding on the phenomena occurring within the cell for each GDL. It can be concluded from this work that a high electrical conductivity and a high permeability lead to a better fuel cell performance. On the other hand, although the presence of MPL provides lower permeability leading to a worse overall performance, it has been shown that the lack of it may result in membrane dehydration and cell degradation issues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Experimental Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Fuel Cells)

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20 pages, 4534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Parametric Sensitivity Analysis and Performance Evaluation of High-Temperature Anion-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

by Mehdi Mehrtash

Processes 2022, 10(7), 1315; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10071315 - 4 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1730

Abstract

In this paper, a three-dimensional model of a high-temperature anion-exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-AEMFC) operating at 110 °C is presented. All major transport phenomena along with the electrochemical reactions that occur in the cell are modeled. Since the water is exclusively in the [...] Read more.

In this paper, a three-dimensional model of a high-temperature anion-exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-AEMFC) operating at 110 °C is presented. All major transport phenomena along with the electrochemical reactions that occur in the cell are modeled. Since the water is exclusively in the form of steam and there is no phase transition to deal with in the cell, the water management is greatly simplified. The cell performance under various current loads is evaluated, and the results are validated against the experimental data. The cell performance is examined across a range of operating conditions, including cell temperature, inlet flow rate, and inlet relative humidity (RH). The critical link between the local distributions of species and local current densities along the channels is identified. The distribution of reactants continuously drops in the gas flow direction along the flow channels, causing a non-uniform local current distribution that becomes more pronounced at high current loads, where the rate of water generation increases. The findings show that while a higher inlet flow rate enhances the cell performance, a lower flow rate causes it to drop because of reactant depletion in the anode. The sensitivity analysis reveals that the performance of an AEMFC is highly dependent on the humidity of the gas entering the cell. While high inlet RH on the cathode side enhances the cell performance, high inlet RH on the anode side deteriorates it. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Experimental Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Fuel Cells)

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17 pages, 2561 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Parameter Identification of a Quasi-3D PEM Fuel Cell Model by Numerical Optimization

by Maximilian Haslinger, Christoph Steindl and Thomas Lauer

Processes 2021, 9(10), 1808; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9101808 - 12 Oct 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2553

Abstract

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) supplied with green hydrogen from renewable sources are a promising technology for carbon dioxide-free energy conversion. Many mathematical models to describe and understand the internal processes have been developed to design more powerful and efficient PEMFCs. Parameterizing [...] Read more.

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) supplied with green hydrogen from renewable sources are a promising technology for carbon dioxide-free energy conversion. Many mathematical models to describe and understand the internal processes have been developed to design more powerful and efficient PEMFCs. Parameterizing such models is challenging, but indispensable to predict the species transport and electrochemical conversion accurately. Many material parameters are unknown, or the measurement methods required to determine their values are expensive, time-consuming, and destructive. This work shows the parameterization of a quasi-3D PEMFC model using measurements from a stack test stand and numerical optimization algorithms. Differential evolution and the Nelder–Mead simplex algorithm were used to optimize eight material parameters of the membrane, cathode catalyst layer (CCL), and gas diffusion layer (GDL). Measurements with different operating temperatures and gas inlet pressures were available for optimization and validation. Due to the low operating temperature of the stack, special attention was paid to the temperature dependent terms in the governing equations. Simulations with optimized parameters predicted the steady-state and transient behavior of the stack well. Therefore, valuable data for the characterization of the membrane, the CCL and GDL was created that can be used for more detailed CFD simulations in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Experimental Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Fuel Cells)

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10 pages, 3104 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Gas Diffusion Layer Thickness on the Performance of Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

by Van Men Truong, Ngoc Bich Duong and Hsiharng Yang

Processes 2021, 9(4), 718; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9040718 - 19 Apr 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5031

Abstract

Gas diffusion layers (GDLs) play a critical role in anion exchange membrane fuel cell (AEMFC) water management. In this work, the effect of GDL thickness on the cell performance of the AEMFC was experimentally investigated. Three GDLs with different thicknesses of 120, 260, [...] Read more.

Gas diffusion layers (GDLs) play a critical role in anion exchange membrane fuel cell (AEMFC) water management. In this work, the effect of GDL thickness on the cell performance of the AEMFC was experimentally investigated. Three GDLs with different thicknesses of 120, 260, and 310 µm (denoted as GDL-120, GDL-260, and GDL-310, respectively) were prepared and tested in a single H₂/O₂ AEMFC. The experimental results showed that the GDL-260 employed in both anode and cathode electrodes exhibited the best cell performance. There was a small difference in cell performance for GDL-260 and GDL-310, while water flooding was observed in the case of using GDL-120 operated at current densities greater than 1100 mA cm⁻². In addition, it was found that the GDL thickness had more sensitivity to the AEMFC performance as used in the anode electrode rather than in the cathode electrode, indicating that water removal at the anode was more challenging than water supply at the cathode. The strategy of water management in the anode should be different from that in the cathode. These findings can provide a further understanding of the role of GDLs in the water management of AEMFCs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Experimental Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Fuel Cells)

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18 pages, 2707 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Efficient Two-Step Parametrization of a Control-Oriented Zero-Dimensional Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Model Based on Measured Stack Data

by Zhang Peng Du, Christoph Steindl and Stefan Jakubek

Processes 2021, 9(4), 713; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9040713 - 18 Apr 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2824

Abstract

This paper proposes a new efficient two-step method for parametrizing control-oriented zero-dimensional physical polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) models with measured stack data. Parametrizations of these models are computationally intensive due to the numerous unknown parameters and the typically nonlinear, stiff model [...] Read more.

This paper proposes a new efficient two-step method for parametrizing control-oriented zero-dimensional physical polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) models with measured stack data. Parametrizations of these models are computationally intensive due to the numerous unknown parameters and the typically nonlinear, stiff model properties. This work reduces an existing model to decrease its stiffness for accelerated numerical simulations. Subdividing the parametrization into two consecutive subproblems (thermodynamic and electrochemical ones) reduces the solution space significantly. A parameter sensitivity analysis further reduces each sub-solution space by excluding non-significant parameters. The method results in an efficient parametrization process. The two-step approach minimizes each sub-solution space’s dimension by two-thirds, respectively three-fourths, compared to the global one. An achieved

R^{2}

value between simulation and measurement of 91% on average provides the required accuracy for control-oriented models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Experimental Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Fuel Cells)

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Graphical abstract

18 pages, 4982 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

CFD Modelling of a Hydrogen/Air PEM Fuel Cell with a Serpentine Gas Distributor

by Alessandro d’Adamo, Matteo Riccardi, Massimo Borghi and Stefano Fontanesi

Processes 2021, 9(3), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9030564 - 23 Mar 2021

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5820

Abstract

Hydrogen-fueled fuel cells are considered one of the key strategies to tackle the achievement of fully-sustainable mobility. The transportation sector is paying significant attention to the development and industrialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) to be introduced alongside batteries, reaching the [...] Read more.

Hydrogen-fueled fuel cells are considered one of the key strategies to tackle the achievement of fully-sustainable mobility. The transportation sector is paying significant attention to the development and industrialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) to be introduced alongside batteries, reaching the goal of complete de-carbonization. In this paper a multi-phase, multi-component, and non-isothermal 3D-CFD model is presented to simulate the fluid, heat, and charge transport processes developing inside a hydrogen/air PEMFC with a serpentine-type gas distributor. Model results are compared against experimental data in terms of polarization and power density curves, including an improved formulation of exchange current density at the cathode catalyst layer, improving the simulation results’ accuracy in the activation-dominated region. Then, 3D-CFD fields of reactants’ delivery to the active electrochemical surface, reaction rates, temperature distributions, and liquid water formation are analyzed, and critical aspects of the current design are commented, i.e., the inhomogeneous use of the active surface for reactions, limiting the produced current and inducing gradients in thermal and reaction rate distribution. The study shows how a complete multi-dimensional framework for physical and chemical processes of PEMFC can be used to understand limiting processes and to guide future development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Experimental Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Fuel Cells)

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Review

Jump to: Research

48 pages, 3390 KiB

Open AccessReview

Modelling Methods and Validation Techniques for CFD Simulations of PEM Fuel Cells

by Alessandro d’Adamo, Maximilian Haslinger, Giuseppe Corda, Johannes Höflinger, Stefano Fontanesi and Thomas Lauer

Processes 2021, 9(4), 688; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9040688 - 14 Apr 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 5817

Abstract

The large-scale adoption of fuel cells system for sustainable power generation will require the combined use of both multidimensional models and of dedicated testing techniques, in order to evolve the current technology beyond its present status. This requires an unprecedented understanding of concurrent [...] Read more.

The large-scale adoption of fuel cells system for sustainable power generation will require the combined use of both multidimensional models and of dedicated testing techniques, in order to evolve the current technology beyond its present status. This requires an unprecedented understanding of concurrent and interacting fluid dynamics, material and electrochemical processes. In this review article, Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) are analysed. In the first part, the most common approaches for multi-phase/multi-physics modelling are presented in their governing equations, inherent limitations and accurate materials characterisation for diffusion layers, membrane and catalyst layers. This provides a thorough overview of key aspects to be included in multidimensional CFD models. In the second part, advanced diagnostic techniques are surveyed, indicating testing practices to accurately characterise the cell operation. These can be used to validate models, complementing the conventional observation of the current–voltage curve with key operating parameters, thus defining a joint modelling/testing environment. The two sections complement each other in portraying a unified framework of interrelated physical/chemical processes, laying the foundation of a robust and complete understanding of PEMFC. This is needed to advance the current technology and to consciously use the ever-growing availability of computational resources in the next future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Experimental Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Fuel Cells)

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