Effect of the Shape Parameter on Droplet Behavior in Multiple Channels of a Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 149, Issue 1
Abstract
Understanding the two-phase flow within multiple channels in a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is important to improve cell performance. In this study, the droplet behavior in multiple channels is predicted by the volume of fluid (VOF) method. In addition, the pressure drop and velocity and pressure distribution between the multiple channels are analyzed, and the effects of channel wettability, gas velocity, and structure parameters on the two-phase distribution within the multiple channels are investigated. The effect of different parameters on the droplet detachment time in multiple channels is evaluated by comparing the droplet movement time. The results show that the increase in amplitude and period leads to greater improvement in the water removal performance of the multiple channels. Additionally, the unevenness within the multiple channels is improved as the interval between channels decreases. The channels show better water removal performance at a channel period of 4, an amplitude of 1.2 mm, and an interval of 1 mm. With the lowering of the wall contact angle, the broken droplets tend to accumulate at the wall corners, and the time for the droplets to be removed increases significantly. It is also observed that as the inlet velocity increases, droplet breakup is more likely to occur in the third channel. At larger flow rates, the droplet detachment time from the channel decreases to some extent in all three channels, but the droplet detachment order is different due to the unevenness of the flow distribution of the two-phase flow in the multiple channels compared to a single channel. Therefore, this unevenness in the flow distribution is the cause of the different droplet detachment orders in the three channels. This study is important for the design of the flow channel and water management of the PEMFC.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request (Figs. 1–16).
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (Grant Nos. SJCX21_1712 and KYCX21_3353).
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Information
Published In
Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 149 • Issue 1 • February 2023
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 4, 2022
Accepted: Aug 15, 2022
Published online: Oct 31, 2022
Published in print: Feb 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Mar 31, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Channel flow
- Channels (waterway)
- Energy engineering
- Energy sources (by type)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Flow (fluid dynamics)
- Flow distribution
- Fluid dynamics
- Fluid mechanics
- Hydraulic engineering
- Hydraulic structures
- Hydrologic engineering
- Infrastructure
- Levees and dikes
- Mathematics
- Membranes
- Parameters (statistics)
- Pipeline systems
- Pipes
- Pressure distribution
- Pressure pipes
- Renewable energy
- Statistics
- Structural engineering
- Structural members
- Structural systems
- Velocity distribution
- Water and water resources
- Waterways
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Cited by
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- Xin Chen, Fei Dong, Sheng Xu, Bifeng Yin, Xuan Xie, Experimental Study on the Droplet Transport and Dynamic Behavior in Flow Channel with Microprotrusions of PEMFC, Journal of Energy Engineering, 10.1061/JLEED9.EYENG-5056, 149, 5, (2023).
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