The gas diffusion layers (GDLs) in polymer proton exchange membrane fuel cells are under compression in operation. Understanding and then being able to quantify the reduced ability of GDLs to conduct gases due to the compression is hence important in fuel cell design. In this paper, we investigated the change of anisotropic permeability of GDLs under different compressions using the improved multiple-relaxation time (MRT) lattice Boltzmann model and X-ray computed micro-tomography. The binary 3D X-ray images of GDLs under different compressions were obtained using the technologies we developed previously, and the permeability of the GDLs in both through-plane and in-plane directions was calculated by simulating gas flow at micron scale through the 3D images. The results indicated that, in comparison with the single-relaxation time (SRT) lattice Boltzmann model commonly used in the literature, the MRT model is robust and flexible in choosing model parameters. The SRT model can give accurate results only when using a specific relaxation parameter whose value varies with porosity. The simulated results using the MRT model reveal that compression could lead to a significant decrease in permeability in both through-plane and in-plane directions, and that the relationship between the decreased permeability and porosity can be well described by both Kozeny-Carman relation and the equation derived by Tomadakis and Sotirchos (1993, “Ordinary and Transition Rdgime Diffusion in Random Fiber Structure,” AIChE J., 39, pp. 397–412) for porosity in the range from 50% to 85%. Since GDLs compression takes place mainly in the through-plane direction, the results presented in this work could provide an easy way to estimate permeability reduction in both through-plane and in-plane directions when the compressive pressure is known.
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e-mail: Yuan.Gao@liverpool.ac.uk
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August 2012
This article was originally published in
Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology
Research Papers
An Improved MRT Lattice Boltzmann Model for Calculating Anisotropic Permeability of Compressed and Uncompressed Carbon Cloth Gas Diffusion Layers Based on X-Ray Computed Micro-Tomography
Yuan Gao,
Yuan Gao
School of Engineering,
e-mail: Yuan.Gao@liverpool.ac.uk
University of Liverpool
, Brownlow Street, Liverpool, L69 3GQ UK
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Xiaoxian Zhang,
Xiaoxian Zhang
School of Engineering,
University of Liverpool
, Brownlow Street, Liverpool, L69 3GQ UK
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Pratap Rama,
Pratap Rama
Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering,
Loughborough University
, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
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Rui Chen,
Rui Chen
Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering,
Loughborough University
, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
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Hossein Ostadi,
Hossein Ostadi
Micro Engineering and Nano Technology, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering,
University of Birmingham
, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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Kyle Jiang
Kyle Jiang
Micro Engineering and Nano Technology, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering,
University of Birmingham
, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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Yuan Gao
School of Engineering,
University of Liverpool
, Brownlow Street, Liverpool, L69 3GQ UK
e-mail: Yuan.Gao@liverpool.ac.uk
Xiaoxian Zhang
School of Engineering,
University of Liverpool
, Brownlow Street, Liverpool, L69 3GQ UK
Pratap Rama
Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering,
Loughborough University
, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
Rui Chen
Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering,
Loughborough University
, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
Hossein Ostadi
Micro Engineering and Nano Technology, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering,
University of Birmingham
, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Kyle Jiang
Micro Engineering and Nano Technology, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering,
University of Birmingham
, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. Aug 2012, 9(4): 041010 (10 pages)
Published Online: June 19, 2012
Article history
Received:
June 4, 2011
Revised:
April 1, 2012
Online:
June 19, 2012
Published:
June 19, 2012
Citation
Gao, Y., Zhang, X., Rama, P., Chen, R., Ostadi, H., and Jiang, K. (June 19, 2012). "An Improved MRT Lattice Boltzmann Model for Calculating Anisotropic Permeability of Compressed and Uncompressed Carbon Cloth Gas Diffusion Layers Based on X-Ray Computed Micro-Tomography." ASME. J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. August 2012; 9(4): 041010. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4006796
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