Losses in Fuel Cells

Fuel Cell Charge Transport

 Mass Transport

Convection dominant in flow channels

Diffusion dominant in electrode
 Concentration Drop

RT Πpvi ⎛ C ⎛⎜ αRT
nFη ⎞
⎟ C − ⎜ ⎟⎞
⎛ (1−α ) nFη ⎞

E=E −
0
lln P d t
Product
j = j0 ⎜ 0 e
R ⎝ ⎠
− 0e
P ⎝ RT ⎠⎟

nF Πp vi ⎜ CR C ⎟
Reactants ⎝ P ⎠
Diffusion In Electrode
 Limiting Current Density

- To increase jL

Q: Are 1 & 2 are easy?

Q: Does anode has larger jL?

 Diffusivity & Effective Diffusivity

Diffusivity from kinetic theory

Effective diffusivity
Nernst Effect
 Concentration Effect
B-V for high current density
 Mass Transportation Loss
Adding two losses
Pictorial View
Pictorial View
Pictorial View
Convection
 Viscosity
Temperature effect

or

Mixture
Viscosity: Example
Viscosity: Example
 Viscosity: Example

In general, flow in fuel cell is laminar.

Pressure Drop In Flow Channels
Convective Mass Transport
Convective Mass Transport in PEMFC

5. Flow velocity in the channel is constant.

Convective Mass Transport in PEMFC
Convective Mass Transport in PEMFC
Convective Mass Transport in PEMFC
A More Realistic Alternative Solution

⎛ ρ ⎞ j( x)
uin ρ − uin ⎜ ρ + ⎟ = dx
⎝ dx ⎠ nF
dρ j (x )
=−
dx uin nF
dC ( x )
= − Bjj ( x )
d
dx
A More Realistic Alternative Solution
If constant Voltage instead of constant current is assumed

dc( x ) 0 c ( x ) αnFη / RT
= − Bj
B ( x ) = − Bj
B0 0 e = ac( x )
dx c
Ae −ax
c( x ) = A
c(0) = cin = A
j ( x ) = Ke −ax
•Current
Current drop Exponentially
•Concentration also drop exponentially
•HW 5.10
Flow Channel Design
PEMFC Flow Channel Design
PEMFC Flow Channel Design
Flow Visualization (Neutron Radiography)

PEMFC serpentine cathode channels

channels. Dark area is liquid filled
filled.

DMFC parallel anode

channels. Bright area is CO2
filled
Flow Visualization