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http://dx.doi.org/10.3795/KSME-B.2009.33.2.85

Experimental and Numerical Assessment of Liquid Water Exhaust Performance of Flow Channels in PEM Fuel Cells  

Kim, Hyun-Il (국민대학교 대학원 기계공학과)
Nam, Jin-Hyun (국민대학교 기계자동차공학부)
Shin, Dong-Hoon (국민대학교 기계자동차공학부)
Chung, Tae-Yong (국민대학교 기계자동차공학부)
Kim, Young-Gyu (한국가스안전공사 가스안전연구원)
Publication Information
Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B / v.33, no.2, 2009 , pp. 85-92 More about this Journal
Abstract
Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are a promising technology for short-term power generation required in residential and automobile applications. Proper management of water has been found to be essential for improving the performance and durability of PEM fuel cells. This study investigated the liquid water exhaust capabilities of various flow channels having different geometries and surface properties. Three-pass serpentine flow fields were prepared by patterning channels of 1 mm or 2 mm width onto hydrophilic Acrylic plates or hydrophobic Teflon plates, and the behaviors of liquid water in those flow channels were experimentally visualized. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were also conducted to quantitatively assess the liquid water exhaust capabilities of flow channels for PEM fuel cells. Numerical results showed that hydrophobic flow channels have better liquid water exhaust capabilities than hydrophilic flow channels. Flow channels with curved corners showed less droplet stagnation than the channels with sharp corners. It was also found that a smaller width is desirable for hydrophobic flow channels while a larger width is desirable for hydrophilic ones. The above results were explained as being due to the different droplet morphologies in hydrophobic and hydrophilic channels.
Keywords
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell; Computational Fluid Dynamics; Flow Channel; Two-Phase Flow; Hydrophilic; Hydrophobic;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
Times Cited By SCOPUS : 2
연도 인용수 순위
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