Volume 10: Sustainable Energy Solutions for Changing the World: Part II

Numerical simulation of water droplet behaviors in two novel block channels of PEMFC using dynamic wettability model Qiaoyu Guo, Mengjie Li, Yanhong Liu, Yu Li, Suihui Ma, Yanzhou Qin

Abstract

Liquid water transport and removal is important in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) for its performance and durability. In this study, we designed two novel channels with different blocks to study their effects on water removal using the Kistler model. Compared with the single straight channel, both of the novel channels can promote droplet removal. The results show that the “one-block” channel leads to a faster water movement and removal, but results in much higher pressure drop. The separated “two-block” channel could achieve both faster water removal and relatively small pressure drop.

Keywords Water droplet, Dynamic contact angle, Block, Gas diffusion layer, Proton exchange membrane fuel cell