2024-03-29T12:45:11Zhttps://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace-oai/requestoai:eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp:2115/481762022-11-17T02:08:08Zhdl_2115_20045hdl_2115_139Two phase flow simulation in a channel of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell using the lattice Boltzmann methodBen Salah, Yasser1000080374578Tabe, Yutaka1000000155300Chikahisa, Takemiopen accessLattice Boltzmann methodDropletDynamic behaviorPEM fuel cellLarge density difference518Water management in polymer electrolyte (PEM) fuel cells is important for fuel cell performance and durability. Numerical simulations using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) are developed to elucidate the dynamic behavior of condensed water and gas flows in a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell gas channel. A scheme for two-phase flow with large density differences was applied to establish the optimum gas channel design for different gas channel heights, droplet positions, and gas channel walls wettability. The present simulation using the LBM, which considers the actual physical properties of the system, shows the effect of the cross-sectional shape, the droplet initial position, droplet volume and the air flow velocity for both hydrophobic and hydrophilic gas channels. The discussion of optimum channel height and drain performance was made using two factors "pumping efficiency" and "drainage speed". It is shown that deeper channels give better draining efficiency than shallower channels, and the efficiency remains largely unchanged when the droplet touches corners or the top of walls in the gas channel. As the droplet velocity, i.e. the drainage flow rate, becomes higher and the drainage efficiency becomes less dependent on droplet locations with shallower channels, shallower channels are better than deeper channels as the pumping efficiency is not greatly affected. Introducing a new dimensionless parameter, "pumping efficiency", the investigation discusses the effect of the various parameters on the drainage performance of a PEM fuel cell gas channel.Elsevier B.V.2012-02-01engjournal articleAMhttp://hdl.handle.net/2115/48176https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2011.10.0530378-7753Journal of Power Sources1998593https://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2115/48176/1/JPS199_85-93.pdfapplication/pdf1.49 MB2012-02-01