Simulation and optimization for the PEMFC based on single-cell stack structure

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2097-0706.2022.08.010

Abstract

Abstract:

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells（PEMFCs） attract extensive attention due to their high power-generation efficiency and working stability at normal temperatures. Traditional PEMFCs are vulnerable to flooding because of the uneven power generation loads among stacks. Most researches on PEMFC optimization are made by improving the flow field of a single cell, but PEMFCs are usually assembled in the form of stacks. Thus, a single-cell stack structure with a vertical channel as the inlet and outlet of reactants is designed, and a new series compensation flow field is proposed which has three air inlets and three flow channels connected in series. Reactants can compensate each other in the flow channel. A simulation study is conducted on the singe-layer PEMFC stack by ANSYS. On the premises that the anode adopts the same serpentine flow field and the cathode adopts the traditional single-channel serpentine flow field or the new series compensation flow field, the distributions of current density, oxygen mass fraction, liquid water saturation, velocity vector and flow channel pressure in the porous medium layers（GDL and CL） of the singe-layer PEMFC stack are analyzed. The simulation results show that the single-layer PEMFC stack in traditional single-channel serpentine flow field is of a higher overall channel pressure, and the closer it is to the inlet, the higher the current density and oxygen mass fraction are, and vice versa. The liquid water saturation around the outlet is relatively high and the velocity vector shows no significant increase as liquid water tends to hoard around the outlet. However, the current density distribution in the new series compensation flow field is relatively even, and there are multiple and extensive-distributed areas with high oxygen mass fractions. The electrochemical reaction is more sufficient and the overall pressure drop is lower. The velocity vector is significantly higher in the areas with higher oxygen mass fraction, which promotes the rapid compensation and diffusion of oxygen between flow channels. The overall liquid water saturation is relatively low. The high velocity vector around the outlet facilitates the drainage effect.

Key words: proton exchange membrane fuel cell, flow field, stack, structure, simulation, hydrogen energy

CLC Number:

TK01

HU Chong, ZHAO Yuan, RAZA Ali, CHEN Daifen. Simulation and optimization for the PEMFC based on single-cell stack structure[J]. Integrated Intelligent Energy, 2022, 44(8): 91-96.

Figures/Tables 13

Fig.1

Fig.2

Table 1

Table 2

Table 3

Governing equation

方程	公式及描述
连续性方程	$∇ ⋅ ρ u → = S m$ $∇ ⋅ 1 ε 1 - S ρ u → = S m$ 式中： $ρ$ 和 $u →$ 为气体的密度与速度; $S$ 为液态水的饱和度; $ε$ 为多孔介质层的孔隙率; $S m$ 为质量源项
动量方程	$∇ ⋅ ρ u → u → = - ∇ p + ∇ ⋅ μ ∇ u → + S u ∇ ⋅ 1 ε 2 (1 - s) 2 ρ u → u → = - ∇ p + ∇ ⋅ 1 ε 1 - s μ ∇ u → + S u$ 式中： $μ$ 为气体动力黏度; $p$ 为气体压力; $S$ 为液态水的饱和度; $ε$ 为多孔介质层的孔隙率; $S u$ 为动量源项
组分方程	$∇ ⋅ 1 ε 1 - s c k u → = ∇ ⋅ D k e f ∇ c k + S k$ 式中： $c k$ 为对应组分 $k$ 的浓度; $D k e f$ 为对应组分的有效扩散系数; $S k$ 为对应组分的组分源项
液态水方程	$p c = σ c o s θ c ε K J 1 - s θ c < 90 ∘ σ c o s θ c ε K J s θ c > 90 ∘$ $J x = 1.417 x - 2.12 x 2 + 1.263 x 3$ 式中： $S 为$ 液态水的在多孔介质中的饱和度,其定义为液态水体积占多孔介质中传质通道体积的百分比; $θ c$ 为液滴与壁面的接触角; $σ 为$ 表面张力
溶解态方程	$∇ ⋅ i → m n d F = ∇ ⋅ D w i ∇ λ + S λ + S g d + S l d$ 式中： $i → m$ 为离子电流密度; $λ$ 为计算区域的溶解态水含量; $n d$ 为电渗透系数; $D w i$ 为溶解态水的扩散系数; $S λ$ 为电化学反应产生水所带来的溶解态水的源项; $S g d$ 为溶解态水域气态水转化所产生的源项; $S l d$ 为溶解态水与液态水相互转化所产生的源相
能量守恒方程	$∇ ⋅ ε ρ c p u - T = ∇ ⋅ k e f f ∇ T + S Q$ 式中： $k e f f$ 为有效热导率; $T$ 为温度; $S Q$ 为热量源项
电化学方程	$∇ ⋅ σ s o l ∇ φ s o l + R s o l = 0 ∇ ⋅ σ m e m ∇ φ m e m + R m e m = 0$ 式中： $φ s o l$ 为固相电势即电子产生的电势; $φ m e m$ 为膜相里势即离子电势; $σ$ 为对应导体中对电子或离子的电导率; $R$ 为对应相中电子或离子的源项,即实际产生的电流密度大小

Table 3

Fig.3

Fig.4

Fig.5

Fig.6

Fig.7

Fig.8

Fig.9

Fig.10

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部件	值	单位
流道高度	0.800	mm
流道宽度	0.800	mm
肋宽	0.800	mm
BP厚度	1.600	mm
GDL厚度	0.190	mm
CL厚度	0.015	mm
PEM厚度	0.050	mm
活性面积	510.400	mm²

项目		值	单位
操作温度		60	℃
操作压力		101 325	Pa
BP	材料密度	1 990	kg/m³
	比热容	710	J/(kg·K)
	电导率	92 600	S/m
	热导率	120	W/(m·K)
GDL	材料密度	321.5	kg/m³
	电导率	280	S/m
	液水接触角	110	(°)
	孔隙率	0.6
	渗透率	1.76×10^-11	m^-2
CL	孔隙率	0.4
	渗透率	1.76×10^-11	m^-2
	比表面积	1.127×10⁷	m^-1
PEM	热导率	0.16	W/(m·K)
	干膜密度	1 980	kg/m³
	干膜当量质量	1 100	kg/kmol
电化学反应相关参数	孔隙堵塞饱和度指数	2
	阳极浓度指数	1
	阴极浓度指数	1
	开路电压	1.05	V
	阳极参考浓度	0.881 4	mol/m³
	阴极参考浓度	0.881 4	mol/m³
	阳极电荷转移系数	1
	阳极参考电流密度	7.17	A/m²
	阴极电荷转移系数	1
	阴极参考电流密度	7.17×10^-5	A/m²

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