Two-phase flow and water transport in a 1.08 mm hydraulic diameter by 25-cm long gas-transport minichannel are investigated. High-speed side-view images are obtained of water droplets moving through gas diffusion media (GDM) and into a gas channel. This system simulates water transport and the flow of air and water in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) cathode gas channel. Advancing and receding contact angles and departure droplet diameters are measured with respect to superficial gas velocity for two GDM samples. Pressure drop is measured and compared to two-phase pressure drop correlations for three different water flow and five different airflow rates, and channel-water and GDM-water interactions are described.

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