Two-Phase Flow in a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell
Application ID: 127771
In a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), water is produced at the cathode. The cell is also fed with water vapor via the inlet gas streams, in order to keep the polymer electrolyte membrane humidified.
If the water partial pressure in the gas phase exceeds the vapor pressure, water condenses to liquid water. Water condensation may occur as a result of the production of water vapor at the cathode, but also due to the removal of other reactant species (H2 or O2) from the gas mixtures.
In this fuel cell tutorial model, water condensation is included in both the hydrogen and oxygen gas diffusion layers (GDLs).
This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products:
however, additional products may be required to completely define and model it. Furthermore, this example may also be defined and modeled using components from the following product combinations:
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