Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3795/KSME-B.2016.40.11.689

Development of Numerical Technique to Analyze the Flow Characteristics of Porous Media Using Lattice Boltzmann Method  

Kim, Hyung Min (Dept. of Mechanical System Engineering, Kyonggi Univ.)
Publication Information
Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B / v.40, no.11, 2016 , pp. 689-695 More about this Journal
Abstract
The performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) is strongly related to the water flow and accumulation in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and catalyst layer. Understanding the behavior of fluid from the characteristics of the media is crucial for the improvement of the performance and design of the GDL. In this paper, a numerical method is proposed to calculate the design parameters of the GDL, i.e., permeability, tortuosity, and effective diffusivity. The fluid flow in a channel filled with randomly packed hard spheres is simulated to validate the method. The flow simulation was performed by lattice Boltzmann method with bounce back condition for the solid volume fraction in the porous media, with different values of porosities. Permeability, which affects the flow, was calculated from the average pressure drop and the velocity in the porous media. Tortuosity, calculated by the ratio the average path length of the randomly injected massless particles to the thickness of the porous media, and the resultant effective diffusivity were in good agreement with the theoretical model. The suggested method can be used to calculate the parameters of real GDL accurately without any modification.
Keywords
Porous Media; Lattice Boltzmann Method; Permeability; Tortuosity; Effective Diffusivity;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Satija, R., Jacobson, D. L., Arif, M. and Werner S. A., 2004, "In Situ Neutron Imaging Technique for Evaluation of Water Management Systems in Poerating PEM Fuel Cells," J. Power Sources, Vol. 129, pp. 238-245.   DOI
2 Pekula, N., Heller, K., Chuang, P. A., Turhan, A. Mench, M. M., Brenizer, J. S. and Unlu, K., 2005, "Study of Water Distribution and Transport in a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell using Neutron Imaging," Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research section A, Vol. 542, pp. 134-141.   DOI
3 Lister, S., Sinton, D. and Djilali, N., 2006, "Ex Situ Visualization of Liquid Water Transport in PEM Fuel Cell Gas Diffusion Layers," J. Power Sources, Vol. 154, pp. 95-105.   DOI
4 Bazjlak, A., Sinton, D., Liu, Z. S. and Bjilali, N., 2007, "Effect of Compression on Liquid Water Transport and Microstructure of PEMFC Gas Diffusion Layers," J. Power Sources, Vol. 163, pp. 784-792.   DOI
5 Hickner, M. A., Siegel, N. P., Chen, K. S., Hussey, D. S., Jacobson, D. L. and Arif, M., 2008, "In Situ High-resolution Neutron Radiography of Crosssectinal Liquid Water Profiles in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," J. Electrochem Soc., Vol. 155, pp. 427-434.
6 Hartig, C., Manke, I., Kardjilov, N, Hilger, A., Grunerbel, M. and Kaczerowski, j., 2008, "Combined Neutron Radiography and Locally Resolved Current Density Measurements of Operating PEM Fuel Cells," J. Power Sources, Vol. 176, pp. 452-459.   DOI
7 Wang, Y., Brasseur, J. G. and Banco, G. G., 2010, "Computational Modeling in Biomechanics," Springer Science Business, U.S.A.
8 Bhatnagar, P. L, Gross, E. P. and Krook, M., 1954, "A Model for Collision Processes in Gases. I : Small Amplitude Processes in Charged and Neutral One-component System," Phys. Rev. Vol. 94, pp. 511-525.   DOI
9 Bruggeman, Von D. A. G., 1935, "Berechnung Verschiedener Physikalischer Konstanten von Heterogenen Substanzen," Ann. der Phys, 5. Floge, Band 24, pp. 636-665.
10 Neale, G. H. and Nader, W. K., 1973, "Prediction of Transport Processes Within Prrous Media: Diffusive Flow Processes Within an Homogenous Swarm of Spherical Particles," AiChE Journal, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 112-119.   DOI
11 Kim, H. M., Kim, D., Kim, W. T., Chung, P. S. and Jhon, M. S., 2007, "Langmuir Slip Model for Air Bearing Simulation Using the Lattice Boltzmann Method," IEEE Trans. on Magnetics, Vol. 43, No. 6, pp. 2244-2246.   DOI