Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society (전기화학회지)

The Korean Electrochemical Society (한국전기화학회)
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Three Dimensional Computational Study on Performance and Transport Characteristics of PEMFC by Flow Direction

유동방향 변화에 따른 고분자 전해질 연료전지의 성능 및 전달특성에 대한 3차원 수치해석적 연구

  • Lee, Pil-Hyong (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Incheon) ;
  • Han, Sang-Seok (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Incheon) ;
  • Hwang, Sang-Soon (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Incheon)
  • Published : 2008.02.28
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Abstract

Many researches for effects of different flow configurations on performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell have extensively been done but the effects of flow direction at the same flow channel shape should be considered for optimal operation of fuel cell as well. In this paper a numerical computational methode for simulating entire reactive flow fields including anode and cathode flow has been developed and the effects of different flow direction at parallel flow was studied. Pressure drop along the flow channel and density distribution of reactant and products and water transport, ion conductivity across the membrane and I-V performance are compared in terms of flow directions(co-flow or counter-flow) using above numerical simulation method. The results show that the performance under counter-flow condition is superior to that under co-flow condition due to higher reactant and water transport resulting to higher ion conductivity of membrane.

고분자 전해질 연료전지의 성능향상을 위한 방법으로 유동채널의 형상을 변경한 많은 연구가 진행되어 왔으나 동일한 유동채널 형상에서 유동방향 변경에 따른 연구는 많이 진행되지 못하였다. 본 연구에서는 동일한 반응면적과 동일한 유동채널의 고분자 전해질 연료전지의 수소와 산소의 유동방향을 Co-flow에서 Counter-flow로 변경될 경우의 연료전지의 성능변화를 분석하기 위하여 연료극과 공기극이 포함된 3차원 수치해석모델을 개발하였다. 개발된 수치해석모델을 활용하여 Co-flow와 Counter-flow의 유동채널 내부의 압력손실, 반응물질의 농도분포, 고분자 전해질 막을 통한 Water Transport, 고분자 전해질 막의 이온전도도 및 I-V 성능곡선을 비교하였다. 그 결과 반응물질의 농도분포, Water Transport, 고분자 전해질 막의 이온전도도가 우수한 Counter-flow 유동조건에서의 성능이 Co-flow 유동조건에 비하여 더욱 우수하였다.

Keywords

References

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