Numerical study on heat and mass transfer performance of the planar membrane-based humidifier for PEMFC. (August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yan, Wei-Mon; Li, Chun-Han; Lee, Chung-Yuan; Rashidi, Saman; Li, Wen-Ken
• Is Part Of: International journal of heat and mass transfer. Volume 157(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-08
• Subjects: Planar membrane-based humidifier -- Heat and mass transfer -- Aspect ratio -- Governing parameters; Heat -- Transmission -- Periodicals; Mass transfer -- Periodicals; Chaleur -- Transmission -- Périodiques; Transfert de masse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 621.4022
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2020.119918
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-9310

Abstract

Highlights: A 3-dimensional simulation is built up to describe the heat and mass transfer for a planar membrane-based humidifier (PMH). The humidification performance is studied with focus on the effect of the duct cross-section aspect ratio. Examine the effects of operating parameters such as mass flow rate, inlet temperature of dry duct, and inlet relative humidity of wet duct on performance indexes. Abstract: In this work, a numerical study is developed to examine the performance in a planar membrane-based humidifier (PMH) to optimize the operation with respect to a detailed parametric analysis. Firstly, a 3-dimensional simulation is built up to explore the heat and mass transfer in PMHs. Then, humidification performances including dew point approach temperature (DPAT), water recovery ratio (WRR), pressure drop (ΔP), and coefficient of performance (COP) are studied with focus on the effects of the duct cross-section aspect ratio (AR), defined as width/height, and the length of ducts. Among AR = 0.5, 1 and 2 with the duct length of 200, 300 and 400 mm, the maximum WRR and the best COP occur at the duct with AR = 2 for all cases of different duct lengths. Finally, influences of governing parameters named mass flow rate, inlet temperature of dry duct, and inlet relative humidity (RH) of wet duct on PMH performances are further investigated. An increase in mass flow rates both enhances DPAT and ΔP, but degrades WRR and COP of the PMH. Enhancing the inlet temperature of dry air reduces the WRR and DPAT, but increases the ΔP leading to a descending trend of the COP. Increasing the inlet RH of wet duct has a small effect on ΔP and an enhancement in the WRR and COP.