Channels PEMFC

Fig. 11 (a) Channel velocity profile for the flow of air at 4001pm in a 80 channel PEMFC of different port dimensions (b) Channel velocity profile for the flow of air through 18/16 mm, 80 channel PEMFC of different flow rates (Ganesh Mohan et al., 2004),... 

Figure 4.1 shows a schematic of a typical polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). A typical membrane electrode assembly (MEA) consists of a proton exchange membrane that is in contact with a cathode catalyst layer (CL) on one side and an anode CL on the other side they are sandwiched together between two diffusion layers (DLs). These layers are usually treated (coated) with a hydrophobic agent such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in order to improve the water removal within the DL and the fuel cell. It is also common to have a catalyst-backing layer or microporous layer (MPL) between the CL and DL. Usually, bipolar plates with flow field (FF) channels are located on each side of the MFA in order to transport reactants to the... 

Aravamudhan, Rahman, and Bhansali. [70] developed a micro direct ethanol fuel cell with silicon diffusion layers. Each silicon substrate had a number of straight micropores or holes that were formed using microelec-tromechanical system (MEMS) fabrication techniques. The pores acted both as microcapillaries/wicking structures and as built-in fuel reservoirs. The capillary action of the microperforations pumps the fuel toward the reaction sites located at the CL. Again, the size and pattern of these perforations could be modified depending on the desired properties or parameters. Lee and Chuang [71] also used a silicon substrate and machined microperforations and microchannels on it in order to use it as the cathode diffusion layer and FF channel plate in a micro-PEMFC. 

Another way to use silicon wafers as DLs was presented by Meyers and Maynard [77]. They developed a micro-PEMFC based on a bilayer design in which both the anode and the cathode current collectors were made out of conductive silicon wafers. Each of fhese componenfs had a series of microchannels formed on one of their surfaces, allowing fhe hydrogen and oxygen to flow through them. Before the charmels were machined, a layer of porous silicon was formed on top of the Si wafers and fhen fhe silicon material beneath the porous layer was electropolished away to form fhe channels. After the wafers were machined, the CEs were added to the surfaces. In this cell, the actual diffusion layers were the porous silicon layers located on top of the channels because they let the gases diffuse fhrough fhem toward the active sites near the membrane. 

An example of a transparent PEMFC was presented by Spemjak, Prasad, and Advani [87], who used a 10 cm transparent fuel cell to investigate different cathode DL materials (with and without MPLs) influence on water management. The FF channels had a single-path serpentine design with rectangular channel cross sections 1 mm deep and 0.8 mm wide. In these researchers study, the analyzed images corresponded to those in the lower section of the cathode s active area (closest to the outlet) because most of the water droplets were observed in this area away from the inlet. To observe how different DLs affected the water transport in the anode, this side was also visualized (see Section 4.3.3.2). 

Proper water management in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is critical to PEMFC performance and durability. PEMFC performance is impaired if the membrane has insufficient water for proton conduction or if the open pore space of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and catalyst layer (CL) or the gas flow channels becomes saturated with liquid water, there is a reduction in reactant flow to the active catalyst sites. PEMFC durability is reduced if water is left in the CL during freeze/thaw cycling which can result in CL or GDL separation from the membrane,1 and excess water in contact with the membrane can result in accelerated membrane thinning.2... 

In-situ measurement technique of water vapor concentration in gas flow channels in PEMFCs using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS)31-36 is also shown with fundamental descriptions on its measuring principle and validity of a practical system. Localized current density and through-plane water-back transport index are obtained with variation of vapor concentration along the gas channel taken into account. Demonstrative results showing that effect of the micro porous layer (MPL) on variation of through-plane water-back transport index is shown in an operating PEMFC. 

Figure 5 shows the MRI visualization of the transversal water content distribution in the membrane in an operational PEMFC with variation of the current density.29 The cell temperature and relative humidify were 70°C and 92%, respectively. The vertical width of the images is about 1.0 cm across the gas channels, which is in the central part of the GDL. The horizontal width of the images is 600 xm. The anode is on the left side of each figure. Figure 6 shows one-dimensional water content profiles in the membrane that were obtained from MRI visualization results at variation of the relative humidity and current density. The horizontal axis and vertical axis respectively indicate the through-plane position of the... 

Figure 11. Variation of water vapor concentration in the cathode and the anode channel of the PEMFC with the MPL under the counter-flow mode at a setting of 0.5 A/cm2 measured using the TDLAS system.

The design of BP for PEMFCs is dependent on the cell architecture, on the fuel to be used, and on the method of stack cooling (e.g., water or air-cooling). To date, most of the fuel cells have employed traditional filter-press architecture, so that the cells are planar and reactant flow distribution to the cells is provided by the bipolar plate. The bipolar plate therefore incorporates reactant channels machined or etched into the surface. These supply the fuel and oxidant and also provide... 

In the planar cell, the components are assembled in flat stacks, with air and fuel passing through channels that are built into the interconnect see Figure 6.18(b). Clearly, the configuration is similar to that employed in PAFCs and PEMFCs. Both rectangular and circular shapes of cells have been demonstrated. A relatively thick interconnect provides the mechanical support, while the typical thickness of each electrode is 50 pm and that of the electrolyte is 5-15 pm. Cells have also been constructed with one of the electrodes providing the mechanical support. 

A third way to build up pFCs based on MEMS-polymers such as poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or PCB-materials such as polyimid (PI) or FR4. These polymers can be micro-machined by molding or by laser ablation. Shah et al. [22,23] have developed a complete PEMFC system consisting of a PDMS substrate with micro-flow channels upon which the MEA was vertically stacked. PDMS micro-reactors were fabricated by employing micro-molding with a dry etched silicon master. The PDMS spin coated on micro-machined Si was then cured and peeled off from the master. The MEA employed consisted in a Nafion - 12 membrane where they have sputtered Pt through a Mylar mask. Despite an interesting method, this FC gave poor results, a power density of 0.8 mW cm was achieved. 

Beside the MEA the bipolar plates are the key components in a PEMFC stack in terms of their contribution to weight, volume, and costs. Bipolar plates contain a fine mesh of gas channels called the flow-field, to ensure a uniform distribution of the process gasses (hydrogen and oxygen) of fuel and air across both sides of the MEA and the removal of the reaction products. Furthermore, the bipolar plates in PEM fuel cells separate the individual cells from each other and guarantee an electrical connection between them in series. Substantial requirements for the bipolar plates are a high electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance. 

Figure 7.1. An along-the-channel (y-z) slice of a unit cell depicting the development of two-phase regions in the cathode GDL of a counter-flowing PEMFC unit cell. When unhumidified gases are used at the air and fuel inlets, the inlet regions of the GDL are typically dry and two-phase regions form down-stream where the gases are more humid. The goal is to predict the formation and evolution of the two-phase region within the ID slice.

The earliest PEMFC system models [1,2] were for single cells at steady state, assuming isothermal and isobar conditions. Performance is averaged over the cross-channel direction, and transport in gas channels is decoupled from transport through the Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA). The power of... 

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