Apparent contact angles of liquid water droplet breaking through a gas diffusion layer of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. (22nd March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yu, Junliang; Froning, Dieter; Reimer, Uwe; Lehnert, Werner
• Is Part Of: International journal of hydrogen energy. Volume 43:Number 12(2018)
• Page Start: 6318
• Page End: 6330
• Publication Date: 2018-03-22
• Subjects: Lattice Boltzmann method -- Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell -- Gas diffusion layer -- Apparent contact angle -- Bridging multiple scales; Hydrogen as fuel -- Periodicals; Hydrogène (Combustible) -- Périodiques; Hydrogen as fuel; Periodicals; 665.81
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.01.168
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0360-3199

Abstract

Abstract: The lattice Boltzmann method is used to simulate the three-dimensional dynamic process of liquid water breaking through the gas diffusion layer (GDL) in the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. An accurate method is introduced to analyze asymmetric droplet shape. Ten micro-structures of Toray GDL were built based on a stochastic geometry model. It was found that asymmetric droplets are produced on the GDL surfaces. Their local apparent contact angles vary with different view angles and geometries. They are different to the idealized contact angles by symmetric simplification. It was concluded that the apparent contact angles are influenced by GDL structures and view angles. This information can help to bridge the gap between mesoscale and cell-scale simulations in the field of fuel cell simulation. Highlights: Ten realizations of stochastic gas diffusion layer model are applied in simulations. Different apparent contact angles of drop breaking through the gas diffusion layer. Apparent contact angles respect irregular droplet shapes. Local apparent contact angles vary with view angles, positions and geometries. Apparent contact angles bridge the gap for multiple scale simulations in PEMFC.