Cell Efficiency

The thermal efficiency of a fuel conversion device is defined as the amount of useful
energy produced relative to the change in enthalpy, ∆H, between the product and feed
streams.
H
η = Useful Energy ¿
¿
Ideally, chemical energy is first converts into heat, which then converts into
mechanical energy, which then converts into electrical energy. For thermal to
mechanical conversion, a heat engine should used. Carnot showed that experimentally
the maximum efficiency is limited to the ratio of absolute temperature at which heat
can be rejected and absorbed.

CFD Technology in developing fuel cell

A three–dimensional, multi–phase, non-isothermal unit of a PEM fuel cell that includes in itself the
significant physical processes and some key parameters that affect fuel cell performance has been
developed using CFD technology . The model had been developed to enhance fundamental perception
of transport phenomena in PEM fuel cells and to deduce the impact of various operation parameters on
performance. The model takes into aacount both gas and liquid in the same computational domain, and
thus allows for the application of phase change in the gas diffusion layers. The model includes the
transport of gaseous, liquid, protons, water, energy, and water dissolved in the ion-conducting polymer.
Water is assumed to be transported between three phases; vapour, liquid, and dissolved, and
equilibrium state among these phases is assumed. Water transport in the porous gas diffusion layer and
catalyst layer is explained using two physical mechanisms: viscous drag and capillary pressure forces,
and is explained by advection within the gas channels. Water movement across the membrane is also
explained by two physical mechanisms: electro-osmotic drag and diffusion. The dynamics of phase
change are included in this model by describing the local evaporation term as a function of the amount
of liquid water present and the level of undersaturation, whereas the condensation has been a function
of the level of oversaturation. A new feature of the algorithm in this model is its capability for accurate
calculation of the local activation over-potentials, which in turn results in improved accuracy of the local
current density distribution. This CFD model also considers convection and diffusion of various species in
the channels as well as in the porous gas diffusion layer, heat transfer in the solids, gases, and
electrochemical reactions. The model shows the influence of a number of parameters on fuel cell
1performance including geometry, materials, operating and others. The model is shown to be able to:
understand the many interacting, complex electrochemical and transport phenomena that cannot be
studied experimentally; identify limiting steps and components; and provide a computer-aided tool for
optimization and design of future fuel cell which will provide much higher power density and lower cost.
In addition, the results show that the CFD model is capable of identifying important parameters for the
wetting behavior of the gas diffusion layers and can be used to identify conditions that might lead to the
onset of pore plugging, which has a detrimental effect of the fuel cell performance, especially in the
mass transport limited region. Figure 2 shows some essential results of this CFD model.

PEFC stacks
A fuel cell stack provides all manifold functions. Fig() shows on the left side a schematic diagram of a single
PEFC, where flow of media, heat and current is indicated. This scheme incomplete and some flow directions
may differ depending on specific cell designs and specific operating conditions. The centeral component of the
PEFC is the proton exchange membrane that separates the two reaction layers. The membrane and the two
electrodes is called membrane electrode assembly (MEA). On the anode fuel gets oxidized, whereby electrons
are attracted to an external circuit and protons are transferred through the membrane to the cathodic side. At
the cathode oxygen gets reduced and combines with protons coming from the membrane and the electrons
from the external electric circuit to form water. Heat is released during several steps and must be removed
from the location of its generation and transferred to a heat transfer fluid (HTF). The heat transfer fluid flows
through the cooling plate, which may serve as the bipolar plate (BPP) as well. The main function of the layers -
gas diffusion layer and gas distributor - is to re-distribute the reactants to the active layers (electrodes: anode
and cathode) respectively to accumulate and take out the products or inert gases from active layers. The gas
distributor is often added into the bipolar plate. The gas diffusion layer is also called backing. Bipolar plates
connect electrically a number of singular PEFCs forming a so-called “stack” and multiplying the voltage of
the stack. An example of a PEFC stack is shown in the fig. (). The singular cells and bipolar plates are covered
on both sides with metallic end plates, which fix mechanically the stack and provide the inlets and outlets for
the media. At the end of each plate, current collector (and the minus pole of the stack) of the stack can be
seen. It is clear that within the stack manifolds are needed that provide the media supply to each individual
cell, whereas appropriate gaskets must differentitate the different media.
To summarize the main transportation processes in a fuel cell are: (1) proton(positive ion)
transport through the membrane from the anodic side to the catalyst surface of the cathode; (2)
electrons via an external electric circuit from anode to the catalytic surface of the cathode (3)
electrons transfer from the cathode of one fuel cell to the anodic side of a second cell through the
intermediate bipolar plate, (4) the reactants and products back and forth from the reaction layers
on the anode and cathode side as well; (5) heat from membrane electrode assembly (MEA) to the
HTF cooling channels.

HYDROGEN STORAGE TANKS

Main requirements to on-board hydrogen storages are: (1) high mass and volume specific storage
capacity, (2) highly dynamical operation to provide instantaneous hydrogen mass flow, (3) safety, (4)
easy-to-maintain, (5) fast and easy refill, (6) long life time with cycling. An industrial view on hydrogen
storage in vehicles can be found in [10]. Actually mainly compressed gas storages are used to store
hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles. Advanced pressure hydrogen storage systems, which are manufactured
with carbon fibres for a pressure range up to 700 bar, have a volumetric and mass specific storage
capacity of about 4 %. Consequently 4 kg of hydrogen - equivalent to 16 l of gasoline- can be stored
within a tank system volume of around 100 l at a mass of around 100 kg [11]. Liquid hydrogen storage
systems with the same size and weight take about 30 % more of hydrogen. However, liquid hydrogen
storage has to be stored at 20 K. This storage method uses about 30 % of the energy content of the
hydrogen for liquefaction.