Water emergence from the land region and water-sidewall interactions in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell gas channels with microgrooves

作者：Shah Mihir M; Kandlikar Satish G^*

来源：Journal of Power Sources, 2015, 297: 127-139.

DOI：10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.07.095

• Channel corner
• Grooved sidewall
• Channel land
• Water management
• Pressure drop

Liquid water produced in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) can adversely affect the fuel cell performance in two ways: (a) reduction in surface area available for reactant transport at the channel gas diffusion layer (GDL) interface, and (b) increase in two-phase pressure drop in channels leading to flow maldistribution and increased pumping power. Further, the channels blocked by water reduce reactant availability at reaction sites. Most of the earlier water transport studies were focused on water droplet formation on the gas diffusion layer (GDL) in the channel and its removal from the gas flow without considering the sidewall interactions. In an actual fuel cell, water under the land emerges in the channel and fills the corner, drawing in additional water from the GDL surface. The present work explores water droplet sidewall interactions and the transport of water from the corner region. Transverse micro-grooves are introduced on the sidewalls and their effect on water removal from the corner region, flow patterns, area coverage ratio and pressure drop are investigated. The micro-grooves are also seen to introduce a wetting regime that facilitates removal of water at the channel exit without causing blockage at the manifold region.

• 出版日期2015-11-30