Analysis of influence of operating temperature on water distribution, proton transport and performance of PEMFC

doi:10.11949/0438-1157.20240690

Abstract

Abstract:

The operating temperature directly affects the water content and power density of the membrane, and determines the proton transport efficiency of the membrane. In order to study the effect of operating temperature on proton transport efficiency and performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), a membrane proton transport (MPT) model was proposed. The model takes into account the influence of the operating temperature on the film water content, deduces the output voltage calculation formula, and couples the MPT model into COMSOL for multi-physical field calculation. A fuel cell test system was built, and experiments and numerical simulations were carried out at inlet relative humidity of 100% and operating temperature of 50℃, 60℃ and 70℃. The output voltage was calculated based on MPT model, and the effects of operating temperature changes on transmembrane water flux, membrane water content and proton conductivity were analyzed. The results show that the maximum relative error between the MPT model and the experimental value is 8.41% when the operating temperature is 70℃. In the range of current density 0—800 mA/cm², the relative error is 0.12%—2.52%. Under the same inlet pressure, inlet relative humidity and inlet flow, with the increase of operating temperature, the transmembrane water flux increases, the membrane water content decreases and the distribution becomes more uniform, the wetting degree of proton exchange membrane (PEM) is higher, and the proton conductivity increases.In the current density range of 0—650 mA/ cm², the output voltage at 70℃ is lower than that at 50℃. On the contrary, it is higher than 50℃ and 60℃ in the current density range of 650—1300 mA/ cm².With the increase of current density, the transmembrane water flux increases, the distribution of membrane water content becomes more uniform, and the proton conductivity increases under some conditions. When the operating temperature is 70℃, the power density of PEMFC is the highest, which is 399.73 mW/cm².

Key words: fuel cell, proton exchange membrane, operating temperature, battery performance, numerical simulation, renewable energy

摘要：

工作温度直接影响质子交换膜燃料电池（PEMFC）的膜态水含量和功率密度，决定了膜的质子传输效率。为研究工作温度对PEMFC质子传输效率及性能的影响，提出了膜质子传输（membrane proton transport，MPT）模型。该模型考虑了工作温度变化对膜态水含量的影响，推导了输出电压计算公式，并将MPT模型耦合进COMSOL进行了多物理场计算。搭建了燃料电池测试系统，在进气相对湿度100%，工作温度为50、60和70℃下进行了实验和数值仿真，基于MPT模型计算了输出电压，分析了工作温度变化对跨膜水通量、膜态水含量和质子电导率的影响。结果表明：工作温度为70℃时，MPT模型与实验值的最大相对误差为8.41%；在电流密度0~800 mA/cm²范围内，相对误差为0.12%~2.52%。相同进气口压力、进气相对湿度和进气流量下，随着工作温度升高，跨膜水通量增加，膜态水含量降低且分布更均匀，PEM的湿润程度更高，质子电导率升高。在电流密度0~650 mA/cm²范围内70℃的输出电压低于50℃，在电流密度650~1300mA/cm²范围内高于50℃和60℃。随着电流密度升高，跨膜水通量增加，膜态水含量分布更均匀，部分工况下质子电导率升高。当工作温度为70℃时，PEMFC的功率密度最大，为399.73 mW/cm²。

关键词: 燃料电池, 质子交换膜, 工作温度, 电池性能, 数值模拟, 再生能源

CLC Number:

TM 911.48

Qiwo HAN, Yongfeng LIU, Pucheng PEI, Lu ZHANG, Shengzhuo YAO. Analysis of influence of operating temperature on water distribution, proton transport and performance of PEMFC[J]. CIESC Journal, 2025, 76(1): 374-384.

韩启沃, 刘永峰, 裴普成, 张璐, 姚圣卓. 工作温度对PEMFC水分布、质子传输及性能影响分析[J]. 化工学报, 2025, 76(1): 374-384.

Figures/Tables 11

Fig.1 Geometric model

Fig.2 Calculation flow chart

Table 1 The main parameters of the model

参数	数值
PEM厚度/m	5.08 $\times$ 10^-5
PEM密度/(kg/m³)	1980
流道数量	5
流道深度/m	6 $\times$ 10^-4
流道宽度/m	8 $\times$ 10^-4
GDL厚度/m	0.1439
阳极CL厚度/m	3 $\times$ 10^-6
阴极CL厚度/m	1 $\times$ 10^-5
阳极参考交换电流密度/(A/m²)	1
阴极参考交换电流密度/(A/m²)	1 $\times$ 10^-4
阴、阳极传递系数	1.0
PEM、GDL、CL热传导率/(W/(m $∙$ K))	0.4、1.2、1.5
GDL、CL电导率/(S/m)	2500、2500
GDL、CL孔隙率	0.5、0.28
液态水的动力黏度/(kg/(m $∙$ s))	4.55 $\times$ 10^-4
开路电压/V	0.95

Table 1 The main parameters of the model

参数	数值
PEM厚度/m	5.08 $\times$ 10^-5
PEM密度/(kg/m³)	1980
流道数量	5
流道深度/m	6 $\times$ 10^-4
流道宽度/m	8 $\times$ 10^-4
GDL厚度/m	0.1439
阳极CL厚度/m	3 $\times$ 10^-6
阴极CL厚度/m	1 $\times$ 10^-5
阳极参考交换电流密度/(A/m²)	1
阴极参考交换电流密度/(A/m²)	1 $\times$ 10^-4
阴、阳极传递系数	1.0
PEM、GDL、CL热传导率/(W/(m $∙$ K))	0.4、1.2、1.5
GDL、CL电导率/(S/m)	2500、2500
GDL、CL孔隙率	0.5、0.28
液态水的动力黏度/(kg/(m $∙$ s))	4.55 $\times$ 10^-4
开路电压/V	0.95

Fig.3 Division of the grid

Fig.4 Fuel cell test system

Table 2 The main parameters of the experiment

参数	数值
PEM类型	Nafion112
进气口压力/MPa	0.1
电池活化面积/cm²	27.864
工作温度/ $℃$	50，60，70
阴、阳极进气相对湿度/%	100
氢气进气流量/(L/min)	2
空气进气流量/(L/min)	5
阳极化学计量比	1.5
阴极化学计量比	3

Table 2 The main parameters of the experiment

参数	数值
PEM类型	Nafion112
进气口压力/MPa	0.1
电池活化面积/cm²	27.864
工作温度/ $℃$	50，60，70
阴、阳极进气相对湿度/%	100
氢气进气流量/(L/min)	2
空气进气流量/(L/min)	5
阳极化学计量比	1.5
阴极化学计量比	3

Fig.5 Simulation model verification

Fig.6 Experimental polarization curves at different operating temperatures

Fig.7 Transmembrane water flux

Fig.8 Membrane water content

Fig.9 Proton conductivity

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