Two-dimensional numerical pore-scale investigation of oxygen evolution in proton exchange membrane electrolysis cells

Oxygen blocking the porous transport layer (PTL) increases the mass transport loss, and then limits the high current density condition of proton exchange membrane electrolysis cells (PEMEC). In this paper, a two-dimensional transient mathematical model of anode two-phase flow in PEMEC is established by the fluid volume method (VOF) method. The transport mechanism of oxygen in porous layer is analyzed in details. The effects of liquid water flow velocity, porosity, fiber diameter and contact angle on oxygen pressure and saturation are studied. The results show that the oxygen bubble transport in the porous layer is mainly affected by capillary pressure and follows the transport mechanism of ‘pressurization breakthrough depressurization’. The oxygen bubble goes through three stages of growth, migration and separation in the channel, and then be carried out of the electrolysis cell by liquid water. When oxygen breaks through the porous layer and enters the flow channel, there is a phenomenon that the branch flow is merged into the main stream, and the last limiting throat affects the maximum pressure and oxygen saturation during stable condition. In addition, increasing the liquid water velocity is helpful to bubble separation; changing the porosity and fiber diameter directly affects the width of pore throat and the correlative capillary pressure; increasing porosity, reducing fiber diameter and contact angle can promote oxygen breakthrough and reduce the stable saturation of oxygen.     

Experimental study and numerical modeling of mixing by air injection in yield stress fluids using the OpenFOAM software

Mixing by gas injection is an operation used in industrial processes such as wastewater treatment, metallurgy, or methanization in which pressurized gas is injected into a fluid in order to reduce concentrations and temperatures gradients. This study demonstrates how the CFD toolbox OpenFOAM can be used to simulate such flows. Experimental measurements and observations have been performed on a pilot-scale reactor where pressurized air is injected in a yield stress fluid. The volume of fluid method and an adaptive mesh with refinement at the interface have been used to track the gas inclusions. The numerical model accuracy has been assessed by comparing experimental and numerical results related to the bubble's frequency, dimensions, and rising velocities as well as the fluid recirculation, yielded, and unyielded regions in the tank. The influence of injection parameters such as the injection flow rate and the fluid rheological parameters has been quantified.     

Validation of a 3D multiphase-multicomponent CFD model for accidental liquid and gaseous hydrogen releases

As hydrogen-air mixtures are flammable in a wide range of concentrations and the minimum ignition energy is low compared to hydrocarbon fuels, the safe handling of hydrogen is of utmost importance. Additional hazards may arise with the accidental spill of liquid hydrogen. Such a release of LH2 leads to a formation of a cryogenic pool, a dynamic vaporization process, and consequently a dispersion of gaseous hydrogen into the environment. Several LH2 release experiments as well as modeling approaches address this phenomenology. In contrast to existing approaches a new CFD model capable of simulating liquid and gaseous distribution was developed at Forschungszentrum Jülich. It is validated against existing experiments and yields no substantial lacks in the physical model and reveals a qualitatively consistent prediction. Nevertheless, the deviation between experiment and simulation raises questions on the completeness of the database, in particular with regard to the boundary conditions and available measurements.     

钠水反应试验系统中小泄漏钠水反应氢气分布特性

蒸汽发生器是钠冷快堆的关键设备之一，其传热管破裂引发的钠水反应会产生大量氢气及热量，危害钠冷快堆的安全运行。本文基于VOF多相流模型，在钠水反应试验系统内开展中小泄漏钠水反应工况的数值分析，获得了高压反应釜内氢气在钠水反应下的三维空间分布特性和迁移特性。结果表明：高压反应釜内氢气的迁移特性受钠液流速影响，氢气在整个循环环路的迁移特性主要受水泄漏量控制。通过设置灵敏度为0.005 ppm的氢计，获得了环路不同区域检测到氢气的最快特征时间。     

Effect of hydrophilic pipe structure of proton exchange membrane fuel cell on water removal from the gas diffusion layer surface

In a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), effective GDL surface water elimination is significant to water management. This paper used the volume-of-fluid method (VOF) method to carry out simulation research on transferring liquid water in the flow channel with a hydrophilic pipe. The findings indicated that compared with a straight channel, a hydrophilic pipe structure could effectively remove water from the gas diffusion surface (GDL) and reduce the surface water coverage of the GDL. With the increase in the diameter and height of the pipe structure, the GDL surface's water coverage first increased and then decreased, and it was less with the pipe structure than with the direct flow channel. The removal rate of water on the GDL surface was accelerated. The spacing of hydrophilic pipes has a significant impact on the transportation of water. As the spacing increases, the removal rate of water on the GDL surface slowed. A hydrophilic pipe structure with a diameter of 75 μm, a height of 400 μm, and spacing of 300 μm has good water removal performance on the GDL surface. This research work proposes a new internal structure design of the flow channel, which has specific implications for removing water on the GDL surface.     

Numerical investigation of liquid water dynamics in wave‐like gas channels of PEMFCs

For the air feed in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), the wave‐like gas channel (GC) shows obvious advantages over the straight GC because the former enhances collision of secondary flow and diffusion in the gas diffusion layer (GDL). However, it is prone to water flooding, which brings greater pressure drop, larger pressure oscillation, and blocking of reaction area. In the present study, numerical models of the water dynamic processes, including water droplets emerging from micropores on the GDL surface and removing through the GC, are established based on the volume of fluid (VOF) method. Water coverage ratio and pressure drop are calculated to evaluate the water flooding. The effects of the dimensional parameters of wave‐like GC and contact angle of channel walls on the water accumulation are studied. The emergence and removal of liquid water is a quasiperiodic and oscillating process. Multicycle simulations show that channel pressure drop increases linearly with greater growth rate than channel length. The equilibrium position of water droplet is strongly dependent on the relative wettability of the GDL and bipolar plate (BPP) surfaces. And the geometric parameters of GC have a significant impact on the pressure, water removal behavior and detachment time. Smaller bent angle brings bigger pressure drop, and larger cycle length is helpful for relieving the oscillation of pressure.     

阀门开度对环状流结构的影响研究

研究环状流在阀门中流动结构的变化对石油水环运输稳定性具有重要意义。采用VOF模型与CSF模型进行油水环状流在球阀内的流动模拟,比较不同阀门开度对环状流结构的影响,结果表明,球阀的开度越小,对环状流结构影响越大,并容易导致环状流失稳。     

基于VOF模型的长输管道水压试验中排空问题的数值仿真分析

长输管道进行水压试验中,排空方式是否合理将严重影响工作效率及试压成本。针对此问题采用VOF模型（Volume of Fluid Model）对管道排气过程进行了数值仿真,并以工程为实例,采取9种排空方式进行计算比较分析。结果表明：管道入口设计成多个均匀分布的入口,以及邻近入口处加1个漏板均可改善排空情况、提高工作效率、降低试压成本。     

转炉顶吹过程渣-金-气三相作用特性

基于VOF界面追踪技术,建立了氧气转炉顶吹过程渣-金-气多相传输行为的数学模型,研究了渣-金-气三相界面行为,给出了渣/金界面特征的演化过程和熔池内流场变化特征,对冲击坑形态进行了具体的描述,并对穿透深度和冲击坑直径进行了定量化的表征。结果表明:由于冲击坑表面波的传播,冲击坑以及渣/金/气界面具有明显的瞬态特征且熔池是振荡的;钢液熔池内涡旋中心位置随着吹炼时间以及渣的运动而变化;低枪位加强了钢液表面的波动,增加了钢液表面的粗糙度,增大了射流与熔池的接触面积,从而有利于射流向熔池的动量传递,促进熔池的搅拌。