液相进样直接甲醇燃料电池性能研究

报道了用研制的Pt-Ru/C催化剂, 采用特殊工艺制备了膜电极, 并组装了直接甲醇质子交换膜单电池系统。考察了电极扩散层制备方法、催化剂层中催化剂、Teflon-C以及Nafion液的用量等电极制备工艺条件以及空气作为氧化剂对单电池性能的影响。结果表明：采用刷涂法制备电极扩散层比喷涂法好,催化剂层中催化剂的优化含量为0.6mg·cm-2,Teflon-C、Nafion液的最佳用量分别为0.3 mg·cm-2、0.5 mg·cm-2。当工作温度为80℃时,输出电压为0.3V,氧气作为阴极气体的输出电流密度为36mA·cm-2;而空气作为阴极气体的输出电流密度为22.5mA·cm-2。膜电极有效面积为9cm2的的液相进样直接甲醇/氧气燃料电池三电池电堆的最大功率为0.285W,此时输出电压为0.7V,输出电流为0.407A;而液相进样直接甲醇/空气三电池电堆的输出电压为0.635V,输出电流为0.252A时,最大功率为0.160W。     

质子交换膜燃料电池两相流动和传递现象的三维数值模拟

为更好地模拟质子交换膜燃料电池内的复杂传递过程,发展了一个三维稳态的、非等温的气液两相流模型,模型综合考虑电池内的流动、传热、传质等过程,以及水的相变过程对电池内传质和温度场的影响.本模型的特性是可以详细地模拟和估计电极电化学动力学,考虑电子在扩散层和催化层,以及质子在膜相中的传递规律.通过数值计算得到了详细的组分浓度、电位和温度等在电池内的空间分布.比较了估算的极化性能与文献中的实验数据,结果表明两者较好地相符合.     

用非均匀团聚体模型模拟燃料电池老化过程

在燃料电池老化过程中,催化层中催化剂的迁移和粒径增加会造成燃料电池的性能下降。本文提出了一种新型的团聚体分层分布模型,且分层界面可沿膜厚方向发生线性变化。通过宏观电极模型和团聚体亚尺度模型的耦合,用有限元法分析了团聚体不均匀分布对质子交换膜燃料电池性能的影响。研究表明,靠近团聚体外侧的催化剂的流失对电池性能影响很大,当没有催化剂的外侧区域达到0.1倍半径时,输出电压为0.2V时的电流密度下降89.8%;当没有催化剂的内侧区域达到0.1倍半径时,输出电压为0.2V时的电流密度下降25%左右。相比于向质子交换膜方向的催化剂迁移,向气体扩散层方向的催化剂迁移对电池性能影响更大,其中分层递增分布的团聚体模型的电池电流密度是均匀分布团聚体模型的60%左右,分层递减分布模型的电流密度是均匀分布团聚体模型的10%左右。此外,铂负载量增加一倍对递增分布模型的电池性能有所提高。     

球形团聚物模型在质子交换膜燃料电池过程模拟中的应用

在建立直通道质子交换膜燃料电池(PEMFC)的二维全电池数学模型中,将球形团聚物模型应用至两极的催化剂层。通过调节团聚物中质子传导介质的比例和催化层孔隙率,预测了基准供气状态下单电池的极化曲线,与文献报道的实验数据吻合良好。研究了电池运行过程中,膜电极内各化学组分和电流密度的分布情况及流向,比较了不同供气压力、催化剂铂颗粒尺寸等参数对电池性能的影响。计算结果表明,在阴极及时排出反应产生的水,并在阳极对燃料气进行加湿是保证单电池正常运行的前提,提高阴极的氧化剂气体压力,可显著改善PEMFC单电池性能,特别是在受浓差极化影响较大的大电流密度区;在催化剂铂载量相同的情况下,减小铂颗粒的尺寸可以提高电池的性能。     

质子交换膜燃料电池两维、两相流动模型

提出了考虑电池内部两相流动的质子交换膜燃料电池数学模型,模拟了阳极、阴极两侧的流道和扩散层中同时发生两相流动时电池内部的各种传递特性,并用实验数据验证了该模型的准确性。模拟结果显示,当电池阴极扩散层中有液态水存在时会大大降低膜中的局部电流密度;质子交换膜中水的净通量方向可正、可负,因此电池的增湿策略应根据不同的运行工况而不断变化。     

质子交换膜燃料电池膜电极性能特性研究

质子交换膜燃料电池(Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell,PEMFC)是一种清洁高效的发电技术,其中膜电极是PEMFC的核心部件,膜电极的材料和制备工艺对电池性能的影响明显。为了对电池性能进行优化,针对Pt/C催化剂类型、膜电极热压温度、碳粉导电层疏水特性以及催化层中Nafion质量分数等因素进行了电流-电压实验测试,获得了电池性能的影响规律。实验结果表明:Pt/C催化剂类型、碳粉导电层疏水性以及催化层Nafion质量分数对电池性能有显著影响,当碳粉导电层聚四氟乙烯质量分数为24%,催化层中Nafion质量分数为30%时,电池性能达到最优值。膜电极热压温度对电池性能影响较小,但对导电碳粉层与催化层的粘结力影响显著,过低的温度会导致膜电极出现分层。     

可溶铅酸液流电池模拟与仿真

可溶铅酸液流电池是一种使用单个容器存储电解液并且不需要微孔隔膜的氧化还原液流电池,这使得电池设计简单并降低了成本。建立二维暂态可溶铅酸液流电池模型,模型基于对质量、电荷以及能量的转移与守恒以及包含铅离子反应的宏观动力学模型为基础,研究了电极间隔、电极形状、电流密度、实验温度、入口电解液流速和电解质初始浓度对电池性能的影响。研究表明：与平板电极相比,弧形电极明显提高了充电时的电池电压。在影响铅酸液流电池性能的诸多条件中,电池温度和电流密度可能是优化电池性能的重要因素。     

全钒液流电池与质子交换膜燃料电池中可控的传热传质研究

简述了全钒液流电池和质子交换膜燃料电池系统中通过控制传热传质机理来提高电池系统性能的研究进展。在VRB中主要回顾了温度场、电极、质子交换膜、流场设计及外场对传热传质过程影响的相关研究。关于PEMFC主要介绍了温度、膜电极的有序化、流场设计及重力场对传热传质过程影响的相关研究。总结了这2类电池传热传质过程研究的主要方向,并展望了这2类电池的发展前景。     

相对湿度对质子交换膜燃料电池性能影响的模型研究

采用全电池催化层模型建立一个沿流道方向的燃料电池二维综合数值模型,研究不同供气湿度条件下膜内水迁移过程及其对输出性能的影响。计算结果显示：阴极进口相对湿度从100%变为10%,阴极侧膜失水导致电解质膜欧姆极化损失由0.15 V增大至0.36 V;随着相对湿度减小氧气浓度增大,阴极活化极化损失由0.45 V减小为0.22 V。模型预测的不同相对湿度条件下极化曲线和文献中实验数据吻合很好。     

氢气进气压力对空冷PEMFC性能的影响

空冷型质子交换膜燃料电池(PEMFC)具有自增湿、质量轻、系统操作简单等特点,适合应用于无人机等领域。氢气进气压力是影响空冷型PEMFC电堆性能的一个重要因素。以1 kW阴极开放式空冷型PEMFC电堆为研究对象,对比了不同氢气进气压力对单片电池电压及其一致性、电堆输出电压、输出功率以及氢气利用率的影响。研究结果表明,氢气进气压力越高,单片电池电压、电堆输出电压和功率越高,大电流下单片电池电压的一致性越好;此外,本实验利用排水法收集阳极尾气并计算氢气利用率,氢气进气压力越高,系统氢气利用率越低。     

PEM燃料电池阴极中的液态水及其影响因素

阴极多孔介质中液态水的含量对PEM燃料电池阴极中的传质及其性能具有极其重要的影响。提出了一个二维、两相、稳态数学模型,研究PEM燃料电池阴极中两相水的传递及其对电池性能的影响。模型耦合了连续方程、动量方程和组分守恒方程,并将质子膜中的净水迁移通量作为边界条件之一来处理。通过实验的方法和数值模拟的方法,研究了电池操作压力和温度对电池性能的影响,同时验证了模型的有效性。模拟发现:提高操作压力和升高阴极加湿温度使电池阴极催化剂层(CTL)和扩散层(GDL)界面上的液态水含量大幅提高;升高阳极加湿温度,电池阴极CTL和GDL界面上的液态水含量变化不明显;而升高燃料电池的操作温度,阴极CTL和GDL界面上液态水的含量降低。     

Mathematical Model of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell with Consideration of Water Management

One‐dimensional model on the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of proton exchange membrane fuel cell is proposed, where the membrane hydration/dehydration and the possible water flooding of the respective cathode and anode gas diffusion layers are considered. A novel approach of phase‐equilibrium approximation is proposed to trace the water front and the detailed saturation profile once water emerges in either anode or cathode gas diffusion layer. The approach is validated by a semi‐analytical method published earlier. The novel approach is applicable to the polarization regime from open circuit voltage to the limiting current density under practical operation conditions. Oxygen diffusion is limited by water accumulation in the cathode gas diffusion layer as current increases, caused by excessive water generation at the cathode catalyst layer and the electro‐osmotic drag across the membrane. The existence of liquid water in the anode gas diffusion layer is predicted at low current densities if high degrees of humidification in both anode and cathode feeds are employed. The influences of inlet relative humidity, imposed pressure drop, and cell temperature are correlated well with the cell performance. In addition, the overpotentials attributed from individual components of the MEA are delineated against the cell current densities.     

Non-isothermal effects of single or double serpentine proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Mathematical models on transport processes and reactions in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell generally assume an isothermal cell behavior for sake of simplicity. This work aims at exploring how a non-isothermal cell body affects the performance of PEM fuel cells with single and double serpentine cathode flow fields, considering the effects of flow channel cross-sectional areas. Low thermal conductivities of porous layers in the cell and low heat transfer coefficients at the surface of current collectors, as commonly adopted in cell design, increase the cell temperature. High cell temperature evaporates fast the liquid water, hence reducing the cathode flooding; however, the yielded low membrane water content reduces proton transport rate, thereby increasing ohmic resistance of membrane. An optimal cell temperature is presented to maximize the cell performance.     

质子交换膜燃料电池膜中气态水管理模型

分析质子交换膜燃料电池的膜水含量与运行参数的关系,从工程方法的角度建立水传输模型.模型分析得到,要提高膜的水合程度,需要通过增湿反应气体.过高的增湿反应气体又会引起阴极扩散层水的泛滥,需通过调节反应气体流量来缓解水的泛滥.为保证膜的高水合程度和低的阴极扩散层水的泛滥,建立了膜水含量的神经网络控制模型,为电池水管理奠定了基础.     

常规流场和交指型流场的质子交换膜燃料电池传热传质三维模拟

针对常规流场和交指型流场的质子交换膜燃料电池提出了三维非等温数学模型。模型详细考虑了电池内部的传热、传质和电化学反应，重点考察了多孔介质内的组分传递和膜内水的电渗和扩散作用，对氧气传递限制和膜内水迁移对电池性能的影响进行了分析和讨论。结果表明，流道的交指型设计加强了气体在多孔介质内的质量传递，提高了电池的输出性能，但相应地，阴极催化层界面水分的减少也使得膜的水合程度降低，这就需要更有效的水管理来防止膜脱水。     

Local Flooding Phenomena in Channel and Land Areas Occurring during Dynamic Operation of a PEFC

In this work, we report on flooding phenomena occurring during dynamic operation of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). The combination of high spatially and temporally resolved neutron radiography and submillimeter resolved current density distribution measurements enables the simultaneous observation of local liquid water content and current density transients in the channel and land areas of a differentially operated PEFC air cathode. The local transients of a triangular voltage sweep and a voltage step are presented here. Both results demonstrate that in the land area the current density is only marginally affected by the local liquid water content. In the voltage sweep experiment, at higher cell polarization a limiting current density is observed in the land area as a result of mass transport limitations due to the high lateral diffusion path length. In the channel area the corresponding transients of the liquid water content and the current density both exhibit a hysteresis. The transients of the voltage step indicate liquid water rearrangement in channel and land areas as a slow process occurring on a time scale of several minutes. Thereby, the local cell performance is primarily affected by the local liquid water content in front of the oxygen electrode.     

Effect of water transport properties on a PEM fuel cell operating with dry hydrogen

In this work, membrane resistance measurement and water balance experiment were implemented to investigate the feasibility for a PEM fuel cell operating with dry hydrogen. The results showed that when a thin membrane was used in a cell the performance and the membrane resistance changed a little while the anode humidity changed from saturated to dry. Comparing with the anode humidity, the influence of the cathode humidity was serious on the cell performance. The water balance experiments showed that the net water transport coefficient was negative even the anode was humidified and liquid water existed not only in the cathode but also in the anode. High cathode humidity was disadvantage for the removal of water both in the anode and the cathode.     

Engineering model for coupling wicks and electroosmotic pumps with proton exchange membrane fuel cells for active water management

We present theoretical and experimental studies of an active water management system for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells that uses integrated wicks and electroosmotic (EO) pumps. The wicks and EO pumps act in concert to remove problematic excess liquid water from the fuel cell. In a previous paper, we showed that this system increases maximum power density by as much as 60% when operating with low air stoichiometric ratios and a parallel channel flow field. The theoretical model we develop here accounts for several key factors specific to optimizing system performance, including the wick's hydraulic resistance, the variation of water pH, and the EO pump's electrochemical reactions. We use this model to illustrate the favorable scaling of EO pumps with fuel cells for water management. In the experimental portion of this study, we prevent flooding by applying a constant voltage to the EO pump. We experimentally analyze the relationships between applied voltage, pump performance, and fuel cell performance. Further, we identify the minimum applied pump voltage necessary to prevent flooding. This study has wide applicability as it also identifies the relationship between active water removal rate and flooding prevention.     

Effects of flow channel geometry on cell performance for PEM fuel cells with parallel and interdigitated flow fields

A 3D numerical model was developed to explore the effects of the cathode flow channel configuration on the local transport phenomena and cell performance for parallel and interdigitated flow fields in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The effect of liquid water formation on the reactant transport is taken into account in the model. For operating voltages greater than 0.7 V, the electrochemical reaction rates are low with a small amount of oxygen consumption and liquid water production, and all cell designs provide sufficient oxygen for the electrochemical reactions. Thus, the flow channel aspect ratio and the flow channel cross-sectional area have little effect on the cell performance. For operating voltages lower than 0.7 V, as the operating voltage decreases the electrochemical reaction rates gradually increase with a large amount of oxygen consumption and liquid water production, so the cell performance is strongly dependent on the flow field design. For the parallel flow field design, lower flow channel aspect ratios and flow channel cross-sectional area areas improve liquid water removal, thus, decreasing both improves cell performance. However, the interdigitated design has an optimal aspect ratio of 1.00 and an optimal cross-sectional area of 1.000 mm × 1.000 mm.