Effect of microporous layer structural parameters on heat and mass transfer in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Effect of microporous layer structural parameters on heat and mass transfer in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Zhang, Zhenya (Zhengzhou University of Light Industry)
Mao, Jia (Zhengzhou University of Light Industry)
Wei, Houyu (Zhengzhou University of Light Industry)
Cheng, Chuanxiao (Zhengzhou University of Light Industry)
Liu, Zhengxuan (TU Delft Design & Construction Management)

2024

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells offer promising clean energy solutions for various applications. However, their performance relies heavily on the properties of the microporous layer, which plays a crucial role in transporting and distributing the components in the fuel cell. To date, the potential for optimising the microporous layer material structural parameters to enhance the fuel cell performance remains largely unexplored. This study aims to fill this research gap by conducting a comprehensive investigation of the effects of different microporous layer material structural parameters on the heat and mass transfer in the membrane electrode assembly. MATLAB was used for optimising the performance of the fuel cell components. The results show that increasing the microporous layer thickness from 5 to 50 μm significantly affects the species transport, leading to a substantial reduction in the molar fraction of H₂ and O₂ at the electrochemical reaction sites. Furthermore, the distribution of the liquid water saturation inside the fuel cell is influenced by the porosity and permeability of the microporous layer. By increasing the porosity from 0.3 to 0.6, the liquid water saturation at the interface of the catalyst layer and microporous layer decreases by 0.52 % and 1.12 % at output voltages of 0.5 V and 0.7 V, respectively. This reduction enhances the efficiency of internal water transport. Moreover, reducing the permeability of the microporous layer from 2 × 10^-12 to 1 × 10^-13 at 0.5 V and 0.7 V leads to an increase in liquid water saturation at the interface of the proton exchange membrane and the catalyst layer by 1.49 % and 0.74 %, respectively, causing hindrance to the transport of internal liquid water. This study provides valuable insights into the interplay between the properties of the microporous layer material properties and heat and mass transfer characteristics in proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

Fuel cell efficiency
Heat and mass transfer
Microporous layer
Performance optimization
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:e311e1fe-f222-4dbb-92e3-8cbf1ae9f751

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2023.122083

1359-4311

Applied Thermal Engineering, 239

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2024 Zhenya Zhang, Jia Mao, Houyu Wei, Chuanxiao Cheng, Zhengxuan Liu