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Water droplet dynamic behavior during removal from a proton exchange membrane fuel cell gas diffusion layer by Lattice-Boltzmann method

Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering volume 31, pages 598–610 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

A major challenge in the application of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is water management, with the flooding of electrodes as the main issue. The Lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM) is a relatively new technique that is superior in modeling the dynamic interface of multiphase fluid flow in complex microstructures such as non-homogeneous and anisotropic porous media of PEMFC electrodes. In this study, the dynamic behavior of a water droplet during removal from gas diffusion layer (GDL) of a PEMFC electrode with interdigitated flow field is simulated using LBM. The effects of GDL wettability and its spanwise and transverse gradients on the removal process are investigated. The results demonstrate great influence of wettability and its spanwise and transverse gradients on the dynamic behavior of droplets during the removal process. Although increasing the hydrophobicity of GDL results in better droplet removal, its increase beyond a critical value does not show a significant effect.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Fuel Cell Research, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz, 71348-51154, Iran

    Golamreza Molaeimanesh & Mohammad Hadi Akbari

Authors
  1. Golamreza Molaeimanesh
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  2. Mohammad Hadi Akbari
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Correspondence to Mohammad Hadi Akbari.

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Molaeimanesh, G., Akbari, M.H. Water droplet dynamic behavior during removal from a proton exchange membrane fuel cell gas diffusion layer by Lattice-Boltzmann method. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 31, 598–610 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-013-0282-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-013-0282-6

Keywords

  • Multiphase Flow
  • Water Droplet
  • Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell
  • Lattice-Boltzmann Method
  • GDL Microstructure