Experimental investigation of liquid water formation and transport in a transparent single-serpentine PEM fuel cell

被引:293
作者
Spernjak, Dusan [1 ]
Prasad, Ajay K. [1 ]
Advani, Suresh G. [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Delaware, Dept Mech Engn, Fuel Cell Res Lab, Spencer Lab 126, Newark, DE 19716 USA
关键词
PEM fuel cell; liquid water transport; visualization gas diffusion layer; microporous layer;
D O I
10.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.04.020
中图分类号
O64 [物理化学(理论化学)、化学物理学];
学科分类号
070304 ; 081704 ;
摘要
Liquid water formation and transport were investigated by direct experimental visualization in an operational transparent single-serpentine PEM fuel cell. We examined the effectiveness of various gas diffusion layer (GDL) materials in removing water away from the cathode and through the flow field over a range of operating conditions. Complete polarization curves as well as time evolution studies after step changes in current draw were obtained with simultaneous liquid water visualization within the transparent cell. The level of cathode flow field flooding, under the same operating conditions and cell current, was recognized as a criterion for the water removal capacity of the GDL materials. When compared at the same current density (i.e. water production rate), higher amount of liquid water in the cathode channel indicated that water had been efficiently removed from the catalyst layer. Visualization of the anode channel was used to investigate the influence of the microporous layer (MPL) on water transport. No liquid water was observed in the anode flow field unless cathode GDLs had an MPL. MPL on the cathode side creates a pressure barrier for water produced at the catalyst layer. Water is pushed across the membrane to the anode side, resulting in anode flow field flooding close to the H, exit. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
引用
收藏
页码:334 / 344
页数:11
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