Simulation of Mode-Switching Methods’ Effect on Mass Transfer in a Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 145, Issue 1
Abstract
Unitized regenerative fuel cells are unique devices that combine the functions of fuel cells and water electrolysis in one system. The internal mass-transport mechanisms present in a unitized regenerative fuel cell are closely related to the mode-switching method of the cell. A two-dimensional, single-phase, isothermal, multicomponent, and transient model was developed to investigate the characteristics of mass transfer coupled with electrochemical reaction in a unitized regenerative fuel cell under interval and continuous mode-switching methods. Results indicate that the average gas mass fractions in the gas-flow channel, gas diffusion layer, and catalyst layer are the same under the two different mode-switching methods. Gas mass fractions in different layers exhibit the same variation trend and gradient during the first and second cycles of interval and continuous switching. Under the two different mode-switching methods, the gradient of the gas mass fraction in fuel cell mode is larger than that in water electrolysis mode. The transient response of these layers under two different mode-switching methods is delayed by approximately 0.2 s compared with that of the operating voltage.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51476003) for the financial support. The authors gratefully thank Ms. Jia Song for the typesetting.
References
Abderezzak, B., B. Khelidj, and M. T. Abbes. 2015. “Visualization and analysis of mass transfer phenomena in a three dimensional domain of a low temperature PEMFC.” In Proc., 3rd Int. Symp. on Environmental Friendly Energies and Applications, 1–6. New York: IEEE.
Appleby, A. J. 1988. “Regenerative fuel cells for space applications.” J. Power Sources 22 (3–4): 377–385. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-7753(88)80031-4.
Cao, T. F., H. Lin, L. Chen, Y. L. He, and W. Q. Tao. 2013. “Numerical investigation of the coupled water and thermal management in PEM fuel cell.” Appl. Energy 112 (14): 1115–1125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.02.031.
Chen, G. B., H. M. Zhang, H. P. Ma, and H. X. Zhong. 2009. “Effect of fabrication methods of bifunctional catalyst layers on unitized regenerative fuel cell performance.” Electrochim. Acta 54 (23): 5454–5462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2009.04.043.
Dadda, B., S. Abboudi, and A. Ghezal. 2013. “Transient two-dimensional model of heat and mass transfer in a PEM fuel cell membrane.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 38 (17): 7092–7101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.03.142.
Dihrab, S. S., and A. M. Razali. 2010. “Studies on a single cell unitized regenerative fuel cells.” In Proc., 9th WSEAS Int. Conf. on System Science and Simulation in Engineering, 4–6. Stevens Point, WI: Iwate Prefectural Univ.
Doddathimmaiah, A. 2008. “Unitised regenerative fuel cells in solar-hydrogen systems for remote area power supply.” Ph.D. thesis, School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT Univ.
Doddathimmaiah, A., and J. Andrews. 2009. “Theory, modelling and performance measurement of unitised regenerative fuel cells.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 34 (19): 8157–8170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2009.07.116.
Gabbasa, M., K. Sopian, A. Fudholi, N. Asim, and M. Gabbasa. 2014. “A review of unitized regenerative fuel cell stack: Material, design and research achievements.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 39 (31): 17765–17778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.08.121.
Grigoriev, S. A., P. Millet, V. I. Porembsky, and V. N. Fateev. 2011. “Development and preliminary testing of a unitized regenerative fuel cell based on PEM technology.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 36 (6): 4164–4168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.07.011.
Guarnieri, M., P. Alotto, and F. Moro. 2015. “Modeling the performance of hydrogen-oxygen unitized regenerative proton exchange membrane fuel cells for energy storage.” J. Power Sources 297: 23–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.07.067.
Haddad, D., H. Benmoussa, N. Bourmada, K. Oulmi, B. Mahmah, and M. Belhamel. 2009. “One dimensional transient numerical study of the mass heat and charge transfer in a proton exchange membrane for PEMFC.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 34 (11): 5010–5014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2008.12.033.
Houzeaux, G., and R. Codina. 2003. “An iteration-by-subdomain overlapping Dirichlet/Robin domain decomposition method for advection-diffusion problems.” J. Comput. Appl. Math. 158 (2): 243–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-0427(03)00447-3.
Hu, G. L., and J. R. Fan. 2006. “A three-dimensional, multicomponent, two-phase model for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with straight channels.” Energy Fuels 20 (2): 738–747. https://doi.org/10.1021/ef050254b.
Hwang, C. M., M. Ishida, H. Ito, T. Maeda, A. Nakano, Y. Hasegawa, N. Yokoi, A. Kato, and T. Yoshida. 2011. “Influence of properties of gas diffusion layers on the performance of polymer electrolyte-based unitized reversible fuel cells.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 36 (2): 1740–1753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.10.091.
Ito, H., N. Miyazaki, M. Ishida, and A. Nakano. 2016. “Efficiency of unitized reversible fuel cell systems.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 41 (13): 5803–5815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.01.150.
Ju, H., and C. Y. Wang. 2004. “Experimental validation of a PEM fuel cell model by current distribution data.” J. Electrochem. Soc. 151 (11): A1954–A1960. https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1805523.
Jung, H. Y., S. Y. Huang, and B. N. Popov. 2010. “High-durability titanium bipolar plate modified by electrochemical deposition of platinum for unitized regenerative fuel cell (URFC).” J. Power Sources 195 (7): 1950–1956. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.10.002.
Kong, F. D., S. Zhang, G. P. Yin, N. Zhang, Z. B. Wang, and C. Y. Du. 2012. “, nanocomposite as promising electrocatalyst for unitized regenerative fuel cell.” Electrochem. Commun. 14 (1): 63–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2011.11.002.
Lin, M. T., C. H. Wan, and W. Wu. 2013. “Comparison of corrosion behaviors between SS304 and Ti substrate coated with (Ti,Zr) N thin films as metal bipolar plate for unitized regenerative fuel cell.” Thin Solid Films 544 (10): 162–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2013.03.130.
Meng, H. 2007. “Numerical investigation of transient responses of a PEM fuel cell using a two-phase non-isothermal mixed-domain model.” J. Power Sources 171 (2): 738–746. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.06.029.
Millet, P., R. Ngameni, S. A. Grigoriev, and V. N. Fateev. 2011. “Scientific and engineering issues related to PEM technology: Water electrolysers, fuel cells and unitized regenerative systems.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 36 (6): 4156–4163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.06.106.
Mitlitsky, F., B. Myers, A. H. Weisberg, T. M. Molter, and W. F. Smith. 1999. “Reversible (unitised) PEM fuel cell devices.” Fuel Cells Bull. 2 (11): 6–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1464-2859(00)80110-8.
Raj, A., and T. Shamim. 2014. “Investigation of the effect of multidimensionality in PEM fuel cells.” Energy Convers. Manage. 86 (5): 443–452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2014.04.088.
Ramousse, J., J. Deseure, O. Lottin, S. Didierjean, and D. Maillet. 2005. “Modelling of heat, mass and charge transfer in a PEMFC single cell.” J. Power Sources 145 (2): 416–427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2005.01.067.
Roca-Ayats, M., G. García, J. L. Galante, M. A. Peña, and M. V. Martínez-Huerta. 2014. “Electrocatalytic stability of Ti based-supported nanoparticles for unitized regenerative fuel cells.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 39 (10): 5477–5484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.12.187.
Roh, S. H., T. Sadhasivam, H. Kim, J. H. Park, and H. Y. Jung. 2016. “Carbon free supported Pt bifunctional electrocatalyst for unitized regenerative fuel cells.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 41 (45): 20650–20659. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.09.062.
Sakurai, M., Y. Sone, T. Nishida, H. Matsushima, and Y. Fukunaka. 2013. “Fundamental study of water electrolysis for life support system in space.” Electrochim. Acta 100: 350–357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2012.11.112.
Singh, D., D. M. Lu, and N. Djilali. 1999. “A two-dimensional analysis of mass transport in proton exchange membrane fuel cells.” Int. J. Eng. Sci. 37 (4): 431–452. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-7225(98)00079-2.
Siroma, Z., and K. Yasuda. 2012. “Numerical simulation of the reaction and mass-transfer profiles in the two-layer catalyst of a PEMFC.” Electrochemistry 79 (5): 326–328. https://doi.org/10.5796/electrochemistry.79.326.
Sone, Y. 2011. “A 100-W class regenerative fuel cell system for lunar and planetary missions.” J. Power Sources 196 (21): 9076–9080. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2011.01.085.
Spurgeon, J. M., and N. S. Lewis. 2011. “Proton exchange membrane electrolysis sustained by water vapor.” Energy Environ. Sci. 4 (8): 2993–2998. https://doi.org/10.1039/c1ee01203g.
Sun, H., H. Chen, and Y. Wan. 2014. “Mass transfer in the HT-PEM fuel cell electrode.” Energy Procedia 61: 1524–1527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2014.12.161.
Ubong, E. U., Z. Shi, and X. Wang. 2009. “Three-dimensional modeling and experimental study of a high temperature PBI-based PEM fuel cell.” J. Electrochem. Soc. 156 (10): B1276–B1282. https://doi.org/10.1149/1.3203309.
Wang, L. L., H. Guo, F. Ye, and C. F. Ma. 2016a. “Two-dimensional simulation of mass transfer in unitized regenerative fuel cells under operation mode switching.” Energies 9 (1): 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/en9010047.
Wang, Y., D. Y. C. Leung, J. Xuan, and H. Wang. 2016b. “A review on unitized regenerative fuel cell technologies. Part-A: Unitized regenerative proton exchange membrane fuel cells.” Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev. 65: 961–977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.07.046.
Wang, Y., and M. G. Ouyang. 2007. “Three-dimensional heat and mass transfer analysis in an air-breathing proton exchange membrane fuel cell.” J. Power Sources 164 (2): 721–729. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2006.11.056.
Xiao, H., L. Y. Dai, J. Song, H. Guo, F. Ye, and C. F. Ma. 2018. “Dynamic response of a unitized regenerative fuel cell under various ways of mode switching.” Int. J. Energy Res. 42 (3): 1328–1337. https://doi.org/10.1002/er.3934.
Xiao, H., H. Guo, F. Ye, and C. F. Ma. 2016. “Numerical study of the dynamic response of heat and mass transfer to operation mode switching of a unitized regenerative fuel cell.” Energies 9 (12): 1015. https://doi.org/10.3390/en9121015.
Zhang, M., L. Hu, G. Q. Lin, and Z. G. Shao. 2012. “Honeycomb-like nanocomposite Ti-Ag-N films prepared by pulsed bias arc ion plating on titanium as bipolar plates for unitized regenerative fuel cells.” J. Power Sources 198 (15): 196–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2011.10.022.
Zhang, Y. N., H. M. Zhang, Y. W. Ma, J. B. Cheng, H. X. Zhong, S. D. Song, and H. P. Ma. 2010. “A novel bifunctional electrocatalyst for unitized regenerative fuel cell.” J. Power Sources 195 (1): 142–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.07.018.
Zheng, Y., Y. Luo, Y. Shi, and N. Cai. 2017. “Dynamic processes of mode switching in reversible solid oxide fuel cells.” J. Energy Eng. 143 (6): 04017057. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EY.1943-7897.0000482.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 145 • Issue 1 • February 2019
Copyright
©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 29, 2018
Accepted: Aug 8, 2018
Published online: Nov 21, 2018
Published in print: Feb 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Apr 21, 2019
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.