Modeling of Liquid Water Distribution at Cathode Gas Flow Channels in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell – PEMFC

S. Skoda[1], E. Robalinho[2], A. Paulino[1], E.F. Cunha[1], M. Linardi[1]
[1]Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, São Paulo, Brazil
[2]Universidade Nove de Julho, São Paulo, Brazil
Veröffentlicht in 2013

The objective of this study is to determine the locations where liquid water accumulates at cathode gas flow channels, and the corresponding operating conditions. In such way it is possible to mitigate slug flow, responsible for channel blockage and hindering the diffusion of reactants to the catalytic sites. The model presented here is a comprehensive PEMFC 3D model, which includes liquid water phase detection along the flow direction, and transport of gaseous species, protons and energy. Computational models of fuel cells have been an important optimization tool to fuel cell development. The experimental data from a transparent-cathode-channels-fuel cell set up were used to validate the computational model.

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