• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.231-238
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• 2006

The performance of free-breathing polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) was studied experimentally and the effect of cathode separator structure on the cell performance was investigated. Cathode separators were used for the cell with $18cm^2$ active area. In channel type, the contact resistance is low, and the nature convection. which is strongly affected by the cross-sectional shape of cathode separator channel, is dominant in a cell performance. The maximum power density with $18cm^2$ active area is $105mW/cm^2$ using the 10mm depth and 2mm width channel. A computational analysis was optimum structure of free-breathing channel type PEMFC for robotic application.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.104-114
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• 2019

Energy is an essential driving force for modern society. In particular, electricity has become the standard source of power for almost every aspect of life. Electric power runs lights, televisions, cell phones, laptops, etc. However, it has become apparent that the current methods of producing this most valuable commodity combustion of fossil fuels are of limited supply and has become detrimental for the Earth's environment. It is also self-evident, given the fact that these resources are non-renewable, that these sources of energy will eventually run out. One of the most promising alternatives to the burning of fossil fuel in the production of electric power is the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The PEM fuel cell is environmentally friendly and achieves much higher efficiencies than a combustion engine. Water management is an important issue of PEM fuel cell operation. Water is the product of the electrochemical reactions inside fuel cell. If liquid water accumulation becomes excessive in a fuel cell, water columns will clog the gas flow channel. This condition is referred to as flooding. A number of researchers have examined the water removal methods in order to improve the performance. In this paper, a new water removal method that investigates the use of vibro-acoustic methods is presented. Piezo-actuators are devices to generate the flexural wave and are attached at end of a cathode bipolar plate. The "flexural wave" is used to impart energy to resting droplets and thus cause movement of the droplets in the direction of the traveling wave.

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.155-162
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• 2016

A proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) produces only water at cathode by an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. The generated water is transported across the membrane from the cathode to the anode. The transported water collected in water-trap and drained to the cathode within the humidifier outlet. If the condensate water is not being drained at the appropriate time, condensate water in the anode can cause the performance degradation or fuel efficiency degradation of fuel cell by the anode flooding or unnecessary hydrogen discharge. In this study, we proposed an optimization method of condensate water drain logic for the water drain performance and the water drain algorithm as considered the condensate water generating speed prep emergency case. In conclusion, we developed the water management strategy of fuel processing system (FPS) as securing fuel efficiency and operating stability.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.58-64
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• 2014

The surface of an ordered mesoporous silica (OMS) was functionalized using 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltrimethoxysilane at $20^{\circ}C$ and $60^{\circ}C$. It was shown that only elevated temperature allows lyophobic properties on the walls of OMS, eventually preventing pore flooding with nonaqueous electrolytes. The functionalized OMSs (OMS-F) were characterized with various techniques: wettability test, $N_2$ sorption measurement, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Cathodes of $10mg/cm^2$ loading were prepared with a commercial Pt/C catalyst and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF, 2.5 wt.%) binder using a typical doctor blade method on a commercial gas diffusion layer (GDL) in the presence or in the absence of OMS-F additives. Subsequent discharge-charge curves were taken in a 1M LiTFSI-TEGDME electrolyte at 60oC in pure oxygen atmosphere. It was found that the discharge capacity was significantly affected by OMS-F: 5 wt.% of additive extended discharge capacity by a factor 1.5. On the other hand, a similar OMS material but synthesized at $20^{\circ}C$ did not show lyophobic properties and deteriorated cathode capacity.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2009년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.374-377
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• 2009

The operating temperature of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) usually has to be limited under $100^{\circ}C$ to maintain the proper ionic conductivity. Therefore, the only product from reaction, water, is in the liquid phase. Two-phase flow makes the flow phenomenon in the channel difficult to understand and predict. Water blocking in the PEMFC channel or the pore of Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL), called flooding, is known as the main effect of PEMFC degradation. To analyze two-phase flow, the PEMFC with transparent acrylic plate was used. Two-phase flow patterns were observed by varying the current density. When the PEMFC is mounted horizontally, water in the cathode is mainly transported on the interface between the channel and GDL.

• 공업화학
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.518-521
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• 2011

전극면적 $25cm^2$ 고체고분자형 연료전지를 이용하여 수소극의 수분관리에 관한 연구를 진행하였다. 수분관리는 연료전지의 운전에 있어서 가장 핵심적인 인자 중의 하나이다. 본 연구에서는 연료극의 flooding의 위험성이 가장 높은 작동전류밀도 $200mA/cm^2$에서 수소극의 가습 및 온도 등의 운전조건의 변화, 그리고 유로 형상의 영향성을 평가하였다. 또한 연료극과 공기극의 양론비를 변화시킴과 동시에 유로의 형상에 따른 영향성을 파악하기 위한 실험을 실시하였다. 연료전지의 운전에 있어서 연료극과 공기극의 양론비에 따른 수분관리의 영향성을 확인할 수 있었고 또한 온도변화 및 가습조건의 변화에 따른 성능의 변화 역시 관찰할 수 있었다.

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.136-147
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• 2015

Dead-ended operation of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell(PEMFC) provides the simplification of fuel cell systems to reduce fuel consumption and weight of fuel cell. However, the water accumulation within the channel prohibits a uniform supply of fuel. Optimization of the purge strategy is required to increase the fuel cell efficiency since fuel and water are removed during the purge process. In this study, we investigated the average voltage output which depends on two interrelated conditions, namely, the supply gas pressure, purging valve open time. In addition, flow visualization was performed to better understand the water build-up on the anode side and cathode side of PEMFC in terms of a variety of the current density. We analyzed the correlation between the purge condition and water flooding.

• 한국태양에너지학회 논문집
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

PEM 연료전지에 있어서 수분의 균형이 연료전지의 시스템 성능에 현저한 영향을 미친다. 그래서 수분 균형은 가장 중요한 요소 중의 일부가 되었으며, 이에 관한 연구가 광범위하게 이루어지고 있다. 적절한 수분 균형을 유지하기 위해서는 적당한 멤브레인 수화작용(membrane hydration)이 필요하며, 반대로 촉매층(catalyst layer)에서의 익수(water flooding)현상이 없어져야 한다. 따라서 이와 같은 동적 상태에서 PEM 연료전지 내의 수분 균형을 유지하기 위해서는, 고도의 동적 수분 조정 기술이 확보되어야 한다. 현재의 연구는 이러한 특성을 고려하여 PEM 연료전지에서 동적부하 상태에서의 수분 이동에 관한 일차원 해석 모델에 관한 것이다. 금번 모델링의 결과, 양극촉매층(CCL, cathode catalystlayer)에서의 수분 상태는 거의 포화 단계에 이르고 있음을 보여주고 있으며, 이 모델링은 연료전지가 작동되는 동안의 CCL에 나타나는 수분의 양상을 예측하는데 활용될 수 있다. 본 논문에서는 수분 이동 모델이 국제규격에 따라 다양한 수송기관이 가동될 때, 동적부하 상태에서 서로 다른 차이점을 발견하기 위한 시뮬레이션 결과에 초점이 맞추어져 있다. 이 모델링을 적용한 결과, 수분 포화도가 상태에 따라 상이하게 나타남을 알 수 있었고, 또한 정적 수분 조절 요소에 따라 최적 상태가 모든 동적 분포에 따라 달라짐을 알 수 있었다.

• 공업화학
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.126-132
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• 2022

암모니아 및 하이드라진 등의 액체연료를 사용하는 알칼라인 연료전지는 높은 에너지 밀도, 저장 및 운송의 용이성, 경제성 등의 장점으로 청정 및 재생 에너지 솔루션으로 각광받고 있다. 하지만 환원극에서 플러딩, 연료 크로스오버 현상, 부반응생성물, 연료 안정성 및 독성 등의 문제들이 여전히 이슈가 되고 있다. 이 중 효율적인 에너지 생산을 위해 산화극에서 산화되어야 하는 연료의 손실을 사전에 감지할 수 있는 연료 모니터링 시스템의 개발은 알칼라인 연료를 사용하는 연료 전지의 성능 향상에 큰 도움을 줄 것으로 사료된다. 하이드라진 및 암모니아의 농도를 실시간으로 측정 가능한 센싱 플랫폼이 다수 개발되어왔으며, 이 중 높은 선택성 및 민감도, 신속한 실시간 모니터링, 플랫폼의 휴대화 등의 장점을 갖는 전기화학적 센서 개발 연구 분야의 최신 동향에 대해 소개하고자 한다. 특히 센서의 감도 및 선택성 증대를 위해 다양한 금속성, 금속산화물 나노소재 및 하이브리드 나노소재를 접목하는 연구 방향에 대해 중점적으로 소개하고자 한다.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2012년도 제43회 하계 정기 학술대회 초록집
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• pp.224-224
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• 2012

For decades, carbon fiber has expanded their application fields from reinforced composites to energy storage and transfer technologies such as electrodes for super-capacitors and lithium ion batteries and gas diffusion layers for proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Especially in fuel cell, water repellency of gas diffusion layer has become very important property for preventing flooding which is induced by condensed water could damage the fuel cell performance. In this work, we fabricated superhydrophobic network of carbon fiber with high aspect ratio hair-like nanostructure by preferential oxygen plasma etching. Superhydrophobic carbon fiber surfaces were achieved by hydrophobic material coating with a siloxane-based hydrocarbon film, which increased the water contact angle from $147^{\circ}$ to $163^{\circ}$ and decreased the contact angle hysteresis from $71^{\circ}$ to below $5^{\circ}$, sufficient to cause droplet roll-off from the surface in millimeter scale water droplet deposition test. Also, we have explored that the condensation behavior (nucleation and growth) of water droplet on the superhydrophobic carbon fiber were significantly retarded due to the high-aspect-ratio nanostructures under super-saturated vapor conditions. It is implied that superhydrophobic carbon fiber can provide a passage for vapor or gas flow in wet environments such as a gas diffusion layer requiring the effective water removal in the operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Moreover, such nanostructuring of carbon-based materials can be extended to carbon fiber, carbon black or carbon films for applications as a cathode in lithium batteries or carbon fiber composites.