• New & Renewable Energy
• /
• v.1 no.2 s.2
• /
• pp.41-52
• /
• 2005

The effects of internal manifold designs on the reactants feed-stream in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells [PEFCs] is studied to figure out flow and thermal distribution patterns over an entire fuel cell stack. Reactants flows are modeled either laminar of turbulent depending on regions and the open channels in the bipolar plates are simulated by porous media where permeability should be pre-deter-mined for computational analysis. In this work, numerical models for reactants feed-stream In the PEFC manifolds are classified Into two major flow patterns: Z-shape and U-shape. Several types of manifold geometries are analyzed to find the optimal manifold configurations. The effect of heat generation in PEFC on the flow distribution is also Investigated applying a simplified heat transfer model in the stack level (i.e. multi-cell electrochemical power-generation unit). This modeling technique Is well suited for many large scale problems and this scheme can be used not only to account for the manifold flow pattern but also to obtain Information on the optimal design and operation of PEFC systems.

• Water for future
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.65-77
• /
• 1992

The purpose of this study is to analyse existing hysteresis models and to propose a new type of model. The existing hysteresis models are classified by three types: interpolation model, scaling model and domain model, of which the domain model is based on the theoretical approach. Models which need one branch of hysteresis loop for calibration are developed based on the independent domain concept, however, they are not successful to accurately simulate the real data and Rubicon Sandy Loam and Dune Sand. There is a possibility that a new model is based on the dependent domain model considering the pore blockage effect against air entry for homogeneous porous media(modelIII-1, Mualem, 1984). Concludingly, a new type of hysteresis model is proposed by simplifying ModelIII-1 using a proper assumption.

• International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.134-142
• /
• 2012

The competition to deliver ultra-low emitting vehicles at a reasonable cost is driving the automotive industry to invest significant manpower and test laboratory resources in the design optimization of increasingly complex exhaust after-treatment systems. Optimization can no longer be based on traditional approaches, which are intensive in hardware use and laboratory testing. The CFD is in high demand for the analysis and design in order to reduce developing cost and time consuming in experiments. This paper describes the development of a comprehensive practical model based on experiments for simulating the performance of automotive three-way catalytic converters, which are employed to reduce engine exhaust emissions. An experiment is conducted to measure species concentrations before and after catalytic converter for different loads on engine. The model simulates the emission system behavior by using an exhaust system heat conservation and catalyst chemical kinetic sub-model. CFD simulation is used to study the performance of automotive catalytic converter. The substrate is modeled as a porous media in FLUENT and the standard k-e model is used for turbulence. The flow pattern is changed from axial to radial by changing the substrate model inside the catalytic converter and the flow distribution and the conversion efficiency of CO, HC and NOx are achieved first, and the predictions are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. It is found that the conversion from axial to radial flow makes the catalytic converter more efficient. These studies help to understand better the performance of the catalytic converter in order to optimize the converter design.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.327-338
• /
• 2020

The role of precise prediction of subsurface fluids and discrimination among them cannot be ignored in reservoir characterization and petroleum prospecting. A suitable rock physics model should be build for the extraction of valuable information form seismic data. The main intent of current work is to present a rock physics model to analyze the characteristics of seismic wave propagating through a cracked porous rock saturated by a three phase fluid. Furthermore, the influence on wave characteristics due to variation in saturation of water, oil and gas were also analyzed for oil and water as wet cases. With this approach the objective to explore wave attenuation and dispersion due to wave induce fluid flow (WIFF) at seismic and sub-seismic frequencies can be precisely achieved. We accomplished our proposed approach by using BISQ equations and by applying appropriate boundary conditions to incorporate heterogeneity due to saturation of three immiscible fluids forming a layered system. To authenticate the proposed methodology, we compared our results with White's mesoscopic theory and with the results obtained by using Biot's poroelastic relations. The outcomes reveals that, at low frequencies seismic wave characteristics are in good agreement with White's mesoscopic theory, however a slight increase in attenuation at seismic frequencies is because of the squirt flow. Moreover, our work crop up as a practical tool for the development of rock physical theories with the intention to identify and estimate properties of different fluids from seismic data.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.79-88
• /
• 2003

This paper presents a numerical study of the spatial behavior of a linear absorbing solute in a heterogeneous porous medium. The spatially correlated log-normal hydraulic conductivity field is generated in a given two-dimensional domain by using the geostatistical method (Turning Bands algorithm). The velocity vector field is calculated by applying the two-dimensional saturated groundwater flow equation to the Galerkin finite element method. The simulation of solute transport is carried out by using the random walk particle tracking model with CD(constant displacement) scheme in which the time interval is automatically adjusted. In this study, the spatial behavior of a solute is analyzed by the longitudinal center-of-mass displacement, longitudinal spatial spread moment and longitudinal plume skewness.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2010

Oscillating Water Column is one of the most widely used converting systems all over the world. The operating performance is influenced by the efficiencies of the two converting stages in the OWC chamber-turbine integrated system. In order to study the effects of the pressure drop induced by the air turbine, the experiments using the impulse turbine and the orifice device are carried out in the wave simulator test rig. The numerical simulation utilizing the orifice and porous media modules is calculated and validated by the corresponding experimental data. The numerical wave tank based on the two-phase VOF model embedded with the above modules is employed to investigate the wave elevation, pressure variation inside the chamber and the air flow velocity in the duct. The effects of the air turbine on the integrated system and interaction among the wave elevation, pressure and air flow velocities variations are investigated, which demonstrates that the present numerical model are more accurate to be employed.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.386-392
• /
• 2013

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell stacks are constructed by stacking several to hundreds of unit cells depending on their power outputs required. Fuel and oxidant are distributed to each cell of a stack through so-called manifolds during its operation. In designing a stack, if the manifold sizes are too small, the fuel and oxidant would be maldistributed among the cells. On the contrary, the volume of the stack would be too large if the manifolds are oversized. In this study, we present a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model with a geometrically simplified flow-field to optimize the size of the manifolds of a stack. The flow-field of the stack was simplified as a straight channel filled with porous media to reduce the number of computational meshes required for CFD simulations. Using the CFD model, we determined the size of the oxidant manifold of a 30 kW-class PEM fuel cell stack that comprises 99 cells. The stack with the optimal manifold size showed a quite uniform distribution of the cell voltages across the entire cells.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.74-87
• /
• 2015

A numerical parametric study has been accomplished to figure out the effect of grille shape built in a small passenger car on the aerodynamic performance such as drag and mass flow rate through CRFM(Condenser Radiator Fan Module). Three grille opening parameters and three grille mesh parameters are selected and adopted to a simple shape passenger car model. This research will provide a design guideline for grille opening geometry and mesh shape in the grille. FLUENT, which is very well known commercial code, hires k-${\epsilon}$ turbulence model at the driving speed of 110km/h with moving wall boundary condition. A porous media condition is prepared to estimate the pressure drop amount through CRFM parts.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.32 no.9
• /
• pp.683-694
• /
• 2008

The performance and durability of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs) are strongly influenced by the uniformity of current density, temperature, species distributions inside a cell In order to obtain uniform distributions in them, the optimal design of flowfield must be a key factor. In this paper, the numerical study of land/channel flowfield optimizations is performed, using a multi-dimensional, multi-phase, non-isothermal PEFC model. Numerical simulations reveal more uniform current density and HFR(High Frequency Resistance) distributions and thus better PEFC performance with narrower land/channel width where the less severe oxygen depletion effect near the land region and more uniform contact resistance variation along the in-plane direction are achieved. The present study elucidates detailed effects of land/channel width and assist in identifying optimal flow-field design strategies for the operation of PEFCs.

• Water for future
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.215-222
• /
• 1995

The water retention function which has the hysteresis phenomena is required to analyze the Richards equation which is a governing equation of the unsaturated flow, and its hysteresis phenomena has influence upon the characteristics of the unsaturated flow. The accuracy of the published hysteresis models is compared by using experimental data of the water retention function. The apparatus to experiment the hysteresis phenomena on the soil is developed, and experimental data for the main wetting process and the main drying process of the water retention function are obtained. The parameters of the van Genuchten equation are calibrated by using experimentally obtained data. As a result of the comparison of the selected hysteresis models which simulate the main drying curve from the main wetting curve, the Model I-1(Mualem) overestimates and the Model II-1(Mualem) underestimates but the Model III-2(Park and Sonu) similarly estimates the experimental data of the main drying curve.