The operation of PEM fuel cells (PEMFC) with dead-ended anode (DEA) leads to severe voltage transients due to accumulation of nitrogen, water vapor and liquid water in the anode channels and the gas diffusion layer (GDL). Accumulation of nitrogen causes a large voltage transient with a characteristic profile whereas the amount of water vapor in the anode is limited by the saturation pressure, and the liquid water takes up very small volume at the bottom of the anode channels in the case of downward orientation of the gravity. Here, we present a transient 1D along-the-channel model of PEMFCs operating with periodically-purged DEA channels. In the model, transport of species is modeled by the Maxwell-Stefan equations coupled with constraint equations for the cell voltage. A simple resistance model is used for the membrane to express the permeance of nitrogen and transport of water through the membrane. The model results agree very well with experimental results for the voltage transients of the PEMFC operating with DEA. In order to emphasize the effect of nitrogen accumulation in the anode, we present experimentally obtained cell voltage measurements during DEA transients, when the cathode is supplied with pure oxygen. In the absence of nitrogen in the cathode, voltage remained almost constant throughout the transient. Then, the model is used to determine the effect of oxygen-to-nitrogen feed ratio in the cathode on the voltage transient behavior for different load currents. Lastly, the model is used to show the effect of the small amount of leak from the anode exit on the voltage transient; even for leak rates as low as less than 10 ml/h, nitrogen accumulation in the anode channels is alleviated and the cell voltage remained almost constant throughout the transient.
Skip Nav Destination
ASME 2011 9th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology collocated with ASME 2011 5th International Conference on Energy Sustainability
August 7–10, 2011
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Advanced Energy Systems Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-5469-3
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Modeling and Experiments of Voltage Transients of PEM Fuel Cells With the Dead-Ended Anode
Jason B. Siegel,
Jason B. Siegel
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Search for other works by this author on:
Anna G. Stefanopoulou,
Anna G. Stefanopoulou
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Search for other works by this author on:
Serhat Yesilyurt
Serhat Yesilyurt
Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey
Search for other works by this author on:
Jason B. Siegel
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Anna G. Stefanopoulou
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Serhat Yesilyurt
Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey
Paper No:
FuelCell2011-54768, pp. 781-788; 8 pages
Published Online:
March 22, 2012
Citation
Siegel, JB, Stefanopoulou, AG, & Yesilyurt, S. "Modeling and Experiments of Voltage Transients of PEM Fuel Cells With the Dead-Ended Anode." Proceedings of the ASME 2011 9th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology collocated with ASME 2011 5th International Conference on Energy Sustainability. ASME 2011 9th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology. Washington, DC, USA. August 7–10, 2011. pp. 781-788. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/FuelCell2011-54768
Download citation file:
11
Views
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Articles
Modeling and Simulations of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells With Poroelastic Approach for Coupled Liquid Water Transport and Deformation in the Membrane
J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol (June,2010)
Transport Phenomena Analysis in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
J. Heat Transfer (December,2005)
Modeling and Experiments of Voltage Transients of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells With the Dead-Ended Anode
J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol (April,2012)
Related Chapters
Promoted Ignition-Combustion Tests with Structured Aluminum Packings in Gaseous Oxygen with Argon or Nitrogen Dilution at 0.1 and 0.6 MPa
Flammability and Sensitivity of Materials in Oxygen-Enriched Atmospheres: 10th Volume
A New Power Gating Structure for Low Voltage Low Power MTCMOS Design
International Conference on Computer Engineering and Technology, 3rd (ICCET 2011)
Applications for Operation
Pipeline System Automation and Control