IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v9y2016i12p1015-d84214.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Numerical Study of the Dynamic Response of Heat and Mass Transfer to Operation Mode Switching of a Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell

Author

Listed:
  • Hong Xiao

    (MOE Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China)

  • Hang Guo

    (MOE Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
    Collaborative Innovation Center of Electric Vehicles in Beijing, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Fang Ye

    (MOE Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China)

  • Chongfang Ma

    (MOE Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China)

Abstract

Knowledge concerning the complicated changes of mass and heat transfer is desired to improve the performance and durability of unitized regenerative fuel cells (URFCs). In this study, a transient, non-isothermal, single-phase, and multi-physics mathematical model for a URFC based on the proton exchange membrane is generated to investigate transient responses in the process of operation mode switching from fuel cell (FC) to electrolysis cell (EC). Various heat generation mechanisms, including Joule heat, reaction heat, and the heat attributed to activation polarizations, have been considered in the transient model coupled with electrochemical reaction and mass transfer in porous electrodes. The polarization curves of the steady-state models are validated by experimental data in the literatures. Numerical results reveal that current density, gas mass fractions, and temperature suddenly change with the sudden change of operating voltage in the mode switching process. The response time of temperature is longer than that of current density and gas mass fractions. In both FC and EC modes, the cell temperature and gradient of gas mass fraction in the oxygen side are larger than that in the hydrogen side. The temperature difference of the entire cell is less than 1.5 K. The highest temperature appears at oxygen-side catalyst layer under the FC mode and at membrane under a more stable EC mode. The cell is exothermic all the time. These dynamic responses and phenomena have important implications for heat analysis and provide proven guidelines for the improvement of URFCs mode switching.

Suggested Citation

  • Hong Xiao & Hang Guo & Fang Ye & Chongfang Ma, 2016. "Numerical Study of the Dynamic Response of Heat and Mass Transfer to Operation Mode Switching of a Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-19, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:9:y:2016:i:12:p:1015-:d:84214
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/12/1015/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/12/1015/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xing, Lei & Liu, Xiaoteng & Alaje, Taiwo & Kumar, Ravi & Mamlouk, Mohamed & Scott, Keith, 2014. "A two-phase flow and non-isothermal agglomerate model for a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 618-634.
    2. Cao, Tao-Feng & Lin, Hong & Chen, Li & He, Ya-Ling & Tao, Wen-Quan, 2013. "Numerical investigation of the coupled water and thermal management in PEM fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1115-1125.
    3. Lulu Wang & Hang Guo & Fang Ye & Chongfang Ma, 2016. "Two-Dimensional Simulation of Mass Transfer in Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cells under Operation Mode Switching," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yuan, Xian Ming & Guo, Hang & Liu, Jia Xing & Ye, Fang & Ma, Chong Fang, 2018. "Influence of operation parameters on mode switching from electrolysis cell mode to fuel cell mode in a unitized regenerative fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 1041-1051.
    2. Guo, Hang & Song, Jia & Ye, Fang & Chong Fang, M.A., 2022. "Dynamic response during mode switching of unitized regenerative fuel cells with orientational flow channels," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 698-710.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tzelepis, Stefanos & Kavadias, Kosmas A. & Marnellos, George E. & Xydis, George, 2021. "A review study on proton exchange membrane fuel cell electrochemical performance focusing on anode and cathode catalyst layer modelling at macroscopic level," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    2. Wang, Qianqian & Tang, Fumin & Li, Bing & Dai, Haifeng & Zheng, Jim P. & Zhang, Cunman & Ming, Pingwen, 2022. "Investigation of the thermal responses under gas channel and land inside proton exchange membrane fuel cell with assembly pressure," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    3. Wu, Horng-Wen, 2016. "A review of recent development: Transport and performance modeling of PEM fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 81-106.
    4. Kang, Sanggyu, 2015. "Quasi-three dimensional dynamic modeling of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with consideration of two-phase water transport through a gas diffusion layer," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 90(P2), pages 1388-1400.
    5. Guo, Hang & Song, Jia & Ye, Fang & Chong Fang, M.A., 2022. "Dynamic response during mode switching of unitized regenerative fuel cells with orientational flow channels," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 698-710.
    6. Salva, J. Antonio & Iranzo, Alfredo & Rosa, Felipe & Tapia, Elvira, 2016. "Validation of cell voltage and water content in a PEM (polymer electrolyte membrane) fuel cell model using neutron imaging for different operating conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 100-112.
    7. Abdollahzadeh, M. & Ribeirinha, P. & Boaventura, M. & Mendes, A., 2018. "Three-dimensional modeling of PEMFC with contaminated anode fuel," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 939-959.
    8. Yi Zhang & Qiang Guo & Jie Song, 2023. "Internet-Distributed Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation Platform for Plug-In Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicles," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-17, September.
    9. Zhao, Chen & Wang, Fei, 2023. "Optimal performance and modeling study of air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell with various bipolar plate structure," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 345(C).
    10. Ismail, M.S. & Ingham, D.B. & Ma, L. & Hughes, K.J. & Pourkashanian, M., 2017. "Effects of catalyst agglomerate shape in polymer electrolyte fuel cells investigated by a multi-scale modelling framework," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 420-430.
    11. Luka Mihanović & Željko Penga & Lei Xing & Viktor Hacker, 2021. "Combining Baffles and Secondary Porous Layers for Performance Enhancement of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-28, June.
    12. Yao, Jing & Wu, Zhen & Wang, Huan & Yang, Fusheng & Xuan, Jin & Xing, Lei & Ren, Jianwei & Zhang, Zaoxiao, 2022. "Design and multi-objective optimization of low-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells with efficient water recovery and high electrochemical performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    13. Xing, Lei & Du, Shangfeng & Chen, Rui & Mamlouk, Mohamed & Scott, Keith, 2016. "Anode partial flooding modelling of proton exchange membrane fuel cells: Model development and validation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 80-95.
    14. Saeidfar, Asal & Yesilyurt, Serhat, 2023. "Numerical investigation of the effects of catalyst layer composition and channel to rib width ratios for low platinum loaded PEMFCs," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 339(C).
    15. Xu, Liangfei & Fang, Chuan & Hu, Junming & Cheng, Siliang & Li, Jianqiu & Ouyang, Minggao & Lehnert, Werner, 2017. "Parameter extraction of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell based on quasi-dynamic model and periphery signals," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 675-690.
    16. Chen, Huicui & Zhang, Ruirui & Xia, Zhifeng & Weng, Qianyao & Zhang, Tong & Pei, Pucheng, 2023. "Experimental investigation on PEM fuel cell flooding mitigation under heavy loading condition," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 349(C).
    17. Blandy Pamplona Solis & Julio César Cruz Argüello & Leopoldo Gómez Barba & Mayra Polett Gurrola & Zakaryaa Zarhri & Danna Lizeth TrejoArroyo, 2019. "Bibliometric Analysis of the Mass Transport in a Gas Diffusion Layer in PEM Fuel Cells," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-18, November.
    18. Hu, Junming & Li, Jianqiu & Xu, Liangfei & Huang, Fusen & Ouyang, Minggao, 2016. "Analytical calculation and evaluation of water transport through a proton exchange membrane fuel cell based on a one-dimensional model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 869-883.
    19. Liu, Jiaran & Tan, Jinzhu & Yang, Weizhan & Li, Yang & Wang, Chao, 2021. "Better electrochemical performance of PEMFC under a novel pneumatic clamping mechanism," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    20. Qiu, Diankai & Peng, Linfa & Tang, Jiayu & Lai, Xinmin, 2020. "Numerical analysis of air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cells with various cathode flow channels," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:9:y:2016:i:12:p:1015-:d:84214. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.