Effect of cathode relative humidity on membrane water content and performance of PEMFC

doi:10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2023.0048

Abstract

Abstract:

The proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) must ensure adequate hydration of the proton exchange membrane during operation while preventing condensed liquid water from blocking the mass transfer channel. To analyze the effect of cathode relative humidity on membrane water content and PEMFC's output performance, a cathode inlet water content (CIWC) model was developed. First, this model considers the influence of temperature and water content on membrane resistance, derives a formula for calculating membrane water content, and couples the CIWC model with the computational fluid dynamics software FLUENT for computation. Second, a fuel cell test bench was constructed to perform experiments at an operating temperature of 60 ℃, 100% anode relative humidity, and 50%, 75%, and 100% cathode relative humidity, respectively. Finally, the simulated data of the CIWC model and the FLUENT built-in model were compared with experimental values. The species distribution of membrane water content, membrane conductivity, and molar water fraction in the catalytic layer on the cathode side were analyzed. The results show that at a cathode relative humidity of 50%, the CIWC model's accuracy improved by 17.67% compared to the FLUENT model at a voltage of 0.739 V. The maximum relative error between the CIWC model and experimental value was 5.66% at 100% cathode relative humidity. As the cathode's relative humidity increases, the membrane water content continuously rises at a voltage of 0.75 V and approaches saturation at 0.6 V. The membrane water content, proton conductivity, and molar water fraction in the catalytic layer gradually increase in the flow field directly from the air inlet to the outlet. At a cathode relative humidity of 75%, the fuel cell output power density reaches 272.08 mW/cm², and the membrane water content distribution becomes more uniform.

Key words: proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), membrane water content, relative humidity, numerical simulation

CLC Number:

TM 911

Yongshuai YU, Yongfeng LIU, Pucheng PEI, Lu ZHANG, Shengzhuo YAO. Effect of cathode relative humidity on membrane water content and performance of PEMFC[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2023, 12(6): 1755-1764.

Figures/Tables 11

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部件	数值	单位
质子交换膜厚度	5×10^-5	m
催化层厚度	1×10^-5	m
气体扩散层厚度	2×10^-4	m
阴、阳极流道深度	8×10^-4、6×10^-4	m
流道宽度	1.2×10^-3	m
流道数目	5
阴、阳极参考电流密度	4000、5.25	A/m²
阴、阳极传递系数	1.0、1.0
干膜的质量	100	kg/m²
膜的当量质量	1.1	kg/mol
膜的密度	1980	kg/m³
膜、气体扩散层、催化层的热导率	0.4、1.2、1.5	W/(m·K)
气体扩散层、催化层的电导率	2500、2500	S/m
气体扩散层、催化层的孔隙率	0.5、0.28
液态水的动力黏度	4.55×10^-4	kg/(m·s)
开路电压	1.1	V

部件	数值	单位
质子交换膜类型	Nafion112
进口压力	0.15	MPa
电池活化面积	270	cm²
工作温度	333	K
氢气进气流量	2	L/min
空气进气流量	5	L/min
阴极化学计量比	2
阳极化学计量比	1.2
阴极相对湿度	100%；75%；50%
阳极相对湿度	100%

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