Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T15:21:40.499Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Transport Phenomena in Nanostructured Cathode Catalyst Layer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2012

Christopher D. Stiles
Affiliation:
College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, State University of New York, Albany, New York 12203, USA
Yongqiang Xue
Affiliation:
College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, State University of New York, Albany, New York 12203, USA
Get access

Abstract

A multi-component, multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) lattice Boltzmann (LB) model has been employed to study transport processes in the nanostructured cathode catalyst layer of a prototype proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The electrode consists of an array of ordered and aligned nanorods that are continuously coated with platinum (Pt). The effect of spacing between the nanorods was studied. Simulation results showed that smaller spacing in nanorods leads to lower utilization of the Pt catalyst due to O2 mass transport limitations. Results from the LB model were found to be in good agreement with the continuum model using the finite element method (FEM) with the same boundary conditions until the systems reached the O2 mass transport limited regions, where the solutions diverged.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Debe, M.K., Schmoeckel, A.K., Vernstrom, G.D. and Atanasoski, R., J. Power Sources 161, 1002 (2006).Google Scholar
2. Pasaogullari, U. and Wang, C.Y., Electrochim. Acta 49, 4359 (2004).Google Scholar
3. Succi, S., The Lattice Boltzmann Equation for Fluid Dynamics and Beyond, Oxford University Press, Oxford (2001).Google Scholar
4. Park, J. and Li, X.., J. Power Sources, 178, 248 (2008).Google Scholar
5. Niu, X.D., Munekata, T., Hyodo, S.A. and Suga, K., J. Power Sources 172, 542 (2007).Google Scholar
6. Mukherjee, P.P., Wang, C.-Y., and Kang, Q., Electrochim. Acta 54, 6861 (2009).Google Scholar
7. Rao, S.M. and Xing, Y., J. Power Sources 185, 1094 (2008).Google Scholar
8. Hussain, M.M., Song, D., Liu, Z.-S., and Xie, Z., J. Power Sources 196, 4533 (2011).Google Scholar
9. d’Humières, D., Ginzburg, I., Krafczyk, M., Lallemand, P., and Luo, L.-S., Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A 360, 437 (2002).Google Scholar
10. Bard, A.J. and Faulkner, L.R., Electrochemical Methods: Fundamentals and Applications, 2nd edition, John Wiley, New York (2001).Google Scholar
11. Shen, G., Zhang, X.H., Ming, Y., Zhang, L., Zhang, Y. and Hu, J., J. Phys. Chem. C 112, 4029 (2008).Google Scholar
12. Berning, T., Lu, D.M., and Djilali, N., J. Power Sources 106, 284 (2002).Google Scholar
13. Bird, R.B., Stewart, W.E., and Lightfoot, E.N., Transport phenomena Wiley, New York, 1960.Google Scholar