Effect of catalyst layer mesoscopic pore-morphology on cold start process of PEM fuel cells

doi:10.1007/s11708-021-0733-4

Front. Energy

2021, Vol. 15

Issue (2) : 460-472 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-021-0733-4

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Effect of catalyst layer mesoscopic pore-morphology on cold start process of PEM fuel cells

Ahmed Mohmed DAFALLA¹, Fangming JIANG²(

)

¹. Laboratory of Advanced Energy Systems, Guangdong Key Laboratory of New and Renewable Energy Research and Development, CAS Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
². Laboratory of Advanced Energy Systems, Guangdong Key Laboratory of New and Renewable Energy Research and Development, CAS Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou 510640, China

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Abstract

Water transport is of paramount importance to the cold start of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Analysis of water transport in cathode catalyst layer (CCL) during cold start reveals the distinct characteristics from the normal temperature operation. This work studies the effect of CCL mesoscopic pore-morphology on PEMFC cold start. The CCL mesoscale morphology is characterized by two tortuosity factors of the ionomer network and pore structure, respectively. The simulation results demonstrate that the mesoscale morphology of CCL has a significant influence on the performance of PEMFC cold start. It was found that cold-starting of a cell with a CCL of less tortuous mesoscale morphology can succeed, whereas starting up a cell with a CCL of more tortuous mesoscale morphology may fail. The CCL of less tortuous pore structure reduces the water back diffusion resistance from the CCL to proton exchange membrane (PEM), thus enhancing the water storage in PEM, while reducing the tortuosity in ionomer network of CCL is found to enhance the water transport in and the water removal from CCL. For the sake of better cold start performance, novel preparation methods, which can create catalyst layers of larger size primary pores and less tortuous pore structure and ionomer network, are desirable.

Keywords cold start energy conversion fuel cells mesoscale morphology tortuosity water management

Corresponding Author(s): Fangming JIANG

Online First Date: 12 April 2021 Issue Date: 18 June 2021

Cite this article:

Ahmed Mohmed DAFALLA,Fangming JIANG. Effect of catalyst layer mesoscopic pore-morphology on cold start process of PEM fuel cells[J]. Front. Energy, 2021, 15(2): 460-472.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fie/EN/10.1007/s11708-021-0733-4
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fie/EN/Y2021/V15/I2/460

Fig.1 Schematic of mesoscopic morphology in CL.

Fig.2 Dependence of R₁ on cell temperature and the water content and ice fraction in CCL.

Fig.3 Dependence of R₂ on cell temperature and the water content and ice fraction in CCL.

Tab.1 Simulation cases

Source term	Gas channels	GDLs	Catalyst layers	Membrane
$S u$	0	$− μ K GDL u →$	$− μ K CL u →$	–
$S v H 2 O$	0	$− q ˙ gs H 2 O$	$− ∇ ? (n d F i e) − S v j n F − q ˙ gs H 2 O$	$− ∇ ? (n d F i e)$
$S v$ (for reactants)	0	0	$− S v j n F$	0
$S φ e$	–	–	$j$	0
$S φ solid$	0	0	$− j$	–
$S T$	–	$i solid 2 σ solid eff + q ˙ gs H 2 O h gs$	$j (η − T ∂ (U o) ∂ T) + i e 2 κ e eff + i solid 2 σ solid eff + q ˙ gs H 2 O h gs$	$i e 2 κ e eff$

Tab.2 Source terms for conversation equations

Tab.3 Cell and transport properties

Fig.4 Geometry and numerical mesh of simulated cell (Positions of 4 monitoring lines (XLine1, XLine2, XLine3, and YLine4) are annotated. These four lines will be used to illustrate the simulation results.)

Fig.5 Profiles of initial water content (in the membrane/CL) and initial ice fraction (in CL/GDL) before cold start.

Tab.4 Cell dimensions and operating conditions

Fig.6 Profiles of effective water diffusivity, and water content in membrane and CCL along XLine1, XLine2, and XLine3: a comparison of Case 1 and Case 2 at two time instants, 4 s and 38 s.

Fig.7 Analysis of water flow in cell during cold start.

Fig.8 Temperature profile and its temporal-evolution in CCL along YLine 4.

Fig.9 Cell voltage curves for non-isothermal cold start from 253.15 K with different mesoscopic morphologies in CCL.

Fig.10 Cell voltage evolutions for isothermal cold start from 253.15 K with different mesoscopic morphologies in CCL.

A	Side surface area of the bipolar plate/m²
a	Water activity
c_p	Specific heat capacity/(J·kg⁻¹·K⁻¹)
C	Species concentration/(mol·m⁻³)
D	Diffusivity/(m²·s⁻¹)
EW	Equivalent weight of dry membrane/(kg·mol⁻¹)
F	Faraday’s constant/(C·mol⁻¹)
h	Latent heat/(J·mol⁻¹)
i	Exchange current density/(A·m⁻²)
j	Transfer current density/(A·m⁻³)
K	Permeability/m²
M	Molecular weight of gas
n	Bruggeman factor
n_d	Electroosmatic drag coefficient/(H₂O/H⁺)
p	Pressure/Pa
$q ˙$	Water desublimation rate/(mol·m⁻³·s⁻¹)
R	Universal gas constant/(J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹)
r_CCL	Water transport resistance in CCL/(s·m⁻¹)
r_MEM	Water transport resistance in membrane/(s·m⁻¹)
S	Source term
s	Ice fraction
t	Time/s
T	Temperature/K
U_o	Equilibrium cell potential/V
u	Superficial fluid velocity/(m·s⁻¹)
V	Cell voltage/V
x, y, z	Cartesian coordinates
Greek symbols
δ	Thickness/m
ε	Porosity
η	Activation overpotential/V
κ	Ionic conductivity/(S·m⁻¹)
κ_D	Diffusional conductivity/(S·m⁻¹)
λ	Water content/(mol H₂O/mol $SO 3 −$ )
ρ	Density/(kg·m⁻³)
σ	Electronic conductivity/(S·m⁻¹)
ϕ	Electric potential/V
μ	Viscosity/(Pa·s)
$ϕ e$	Electrolyte potential
$ϕ s$	Electron potential
τ	Tortuosity factor
ψ	Water back diffusion flux/(mol·m⁻²·s⁻¹)
Subscripts/Superscripts
e	Electrolyte
eff	Effective
g	Vapor phase
gs	Vapor-solid phase transition
Kn	Knudsen
m	ionomer phase
MEM	Membrane
Nor	Normal
0	Initial
s	Ice or solid phase
sat	Saturated
solid	Solid phase
v	Species index
w	Component (hydrogen, oxygen, or water)
-	Average
→	Vector

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