A two-dimensional, steady state, nonisothermal, nonequilibrium, multifluid, two-phase flow model is employed to investigate fuel delivery characteristics, as well as the strong relation between water transport through the membrane and methanol crossover. A porous layer, called the fuel delivery layer, is used between the anode backing layer and the methanol reservoir to be able to employ high concentration methanol solution at the anode reservoir. A simple analytical model for liquid methanol distribution in the anode is presented to show the significant effect of water crossover through the membrane on the methanol dilution at the anode catalyst layer. A comprehensive numerical model is employed to verify the concept developed by the analytical model. The numerical model also accounts for the dissolved water phase in the Nafion membrane. Using a hydrophobic microporous layer at the cathode decreases methanol crossover due to a reduction in water crossover, as well as attaining a water neutral condition. It is found that thickening of the porous fuel delivery layer cannot alleviate the methanol crossover through the membrane without controlling the water transport. The results also show that a cathode microporous layer can significantly reduce the liquid saturation at the cathode backing layer which, in turn, reduces water flooding at the cathode.
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e-mail: faghri@engr.uconn.edu
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April 2011
This article was originally published in
Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology
Research Papers
Water Management in a Passive DMFC Using Highly Concentrated Methanol Solution
Hafez Bahrami,
Hafez Bahrami
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Connecticut
, Storrs, CT 06269
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Amir Faghri
Amir Faghri
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: faghri@engr.uconn.edu
University of Connecticut
, Storrs, CT 06269
Search for other works by this author on:
Hafez Bahrami
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Connecticut
, Storrs, CT 06269
Amir Faghri
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Connecticut
, Storrs, CT 06269e-mail: faghri@engr.uconn.edu
J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. Apr 2011, 8(2): 021011 (15 pages)
Published Online: November 30, 2010
Article history
Received:
October 27, 2009
Revised:
June 6, 2010
Online:
November 30, 2010
Published:
November 30, 2010
Citation
Bahrami, H., and Faghri, A. (November 30, 2010). "Water Management in a Passive DMFC Using Highly Concentrated Methanol Solution." ASME. J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. April 2011; 8(2): 021011. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4002315
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