Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of the capillary forces in porous electrodes on the voltage-current characteristic of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

  • Published:
Theoretical Foundations of Chemical Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An isothermal model of the cathode part of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is considered with allowance for capillary forces. Numerical and analytical solutions show that the capillary forces have a fundamental effect on the voltage-current characteristic because of an abrupt increase in the diffusion loss of oxygen through a thin liquid film emerging in nonwettable pores of the cathode in comparison with the ordinary diffusion in gas channels. The results obtained agree well with known experimental data.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

a, b :

dimensionless parameters

C:

dimensionless concentration

c:

concentration

D:

diffusion coefficient

e, f :

dimensionless parameters

F:

Faraday’s constant

ΔG :

Gibbs free energy

i ref0 :

bulk density of exchange current

J:

dimensionless current density

j:

ion current density profiles

j ch :

exchange current density in the catalytic layer

j in :

internal current density

K:

dimensionless parameter

\(K_{O_2 } \) :

Henry’s constant

k E :

electrokinetic permeability

k h :

hydraulic permeability

l:

layer thickness

N:

molar flow rate of a substance

p:

pressure

R:

gas constant

r:

specific resistance

s:

water saturation

T:

absolute temperature

U:

voltage

u:

water velocity

v:

dimensionless oxygen flow rate

x:

dimensionless molar concentration

y:

dimensionless parameter

z:

coordinate

α:

mass-transfer coefficient

β:

approximation parameter in the Leverett function

ε:

porosity

κ:

electrical conductivity of the membrane

λ1, λ2 :

eigenvalues

μ:

water viscosity

ξ:

dimensionless coordinate

ρ:

water density

σ:

water surface tension

ϕ:

electric potential

a:

anode

c:

catalytic layer

d:

gas diffusion region

eff:

effective value

g:

gas phase

H:

proton

in:

internal value

m:

membrane

max:

maximal value

O2 :

oxygen

O2-N2 :

oxygen-nitrogen mixture

out:

outlet value

q:

liquid water

ref:

reference value

sat:

saturated state

th:

theoretical value

w:

water diffusion region

w-N2 :

water vapor-nitrogen mixture

w-O2 :

water vapor-oxygen mixture

O:

on the membrane side

References

  1. Larminie, J. and Dicks, A., Fuel Cell System Explained, Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Newman, J.S., Electrochemical Systems, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Costamagna, P. and Srinivasan, S., Quantum Jumps in the PEMFC Science and Technology from the 1960s to the Year 2000, J. Power Sources, 2001, vol. 102, nos. 1–2, pp. 242–269.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Nam, J.H. and Kaviany, M., Effective Diffusivity and Water-Saturation Distribution in Single-and Two-Layer PEMFC Diffusion Medium, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 2003, vol. 46, no. 24, pp. 4595–4611.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bernardi, D.M. and Verbrugge, M.W., Mathematical Model of Gas Diffusion Electrode Bonded to a Polymer Electrolyte, AIChE J., 1991, vol. 37, no. 8, pp. 1151–1163.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Collins, R.E., Flow of Fluids through Porous Materials, New York: Reinhold, 1961. Translated under the title Techeniya zhidkostei cherez poristye materialy, Moscow: Mir, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Najjari, M. and Nasrallah, S., B. Numerical Study of the Effects of Geometric Dimension on Liquid-Vapor Phase Change and Free Convection in a Rectangular Porous Cavity, J. Porous Media, 2005, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 1–12.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ticianelli, E.A., Derouin, C.R., and Srinivasan, S., Localization of Platinum in Low Catalyst Loading Electrodes to Attain High Power Densities in SPE Fuel Cells, J. Electroanal. Chem., 1988, vol. 251, no. 2, pp. 275–295.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kutateladze Institute of Thermophysics, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. akademika Lavrent’eva 1, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia

    V. E. Nakoryakov & V. G. Gasenko

Authors
  1. V. E. Nakoryakov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. G. Gasenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Original Russian Text © V.E. Nakoryakov, V.G. Gasenko, 2006, published in Teoreticheskie Osnovy Khimicheskoi Tekhnologii, 2006, Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 130–140.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nakoryakov, V.E., Gasenko, V.G. Effect of the capillary forces in porous electrodes on the voltage-current characteristic of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Theor Found Chem Eng 40, 116–125 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0040579506020035

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0040579506020035

Keywords

Search

Navigation