Two-phase flow distributors for fuel cell flow channels--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

Bi, H. T., Sauriol, P., & Stumper, J. (2010). Two-phase flow distributors for fuel cell flow channels. Particuology, 8(6), 582-587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2010.07.011

Two-phase flow distributors for fuel cell flow channels

Hsiaotao T. Bi ^a *, Pierre Sauriol ^a, Jürgen Stumper ^b

a Clean Energy Research Centre and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
b Automotive Fuel Cell Corporation, Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5J 5J8

10.1016/j.partic.2010.07.011

Volume 8, Issue 6, December 2010, Pages 582-587

Received 25 May 2010, Accepted 25 July 2010, Available online 14 October 2010.

E-mail: xbi@chbe.ubc.ca

Highlights

Abstract

All existing proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell gas flow fields have been designed on the basis of single-phase gas flow distribution. The presence of liquid water in the flow causes non-uniform gas distribution, leading to poor cell performance. This paper demonstrates that a gas flow restrictor/distributor, as is commonly used in two-phase flow to stabilize multiphase transport lines and multiphase reactors, can improve the gas flow distribution by significantly reducing gas mal-distribution caused by either non-uniform water formation in parallel flow channels or flow instability associated with negative-slope pressure drop characteristic of two-phase horizontal flow systems.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Gas distributor; Gas–liquid two-phase flow; Fuel cell flow field; Pressure drop hysteresis; Flow mal-distribution

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