Zheng Jinsong, Kang Zhenye, Han Bo, Mo Jingke
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
Materials (Basel). 2023 Feb 3;16(3):1310. doi: 10.3390/ma16031310.
Proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis, which is one of methods of hydrogen production with the most potential, has attracted more attention due to its energy conversion and storage potential. In this paper, a steady state, three-dimensional mathematical model coupled with the electrochemical and mass transfer physical fields for a PEM water electrolyzer was established. The influence of the different operation parameters on the cell performance was discussed. Moreover, the different patterns of the flow field, such as parallel, serpentine, multi-serpentine, and interdigitate flow fields, were simulated to reveal their influence on the mass transfer and current distribution and how they consequently affected the cell performance. The results of the numerical modeling were in good agreement with the experimental data. The results demonstrated that a higher temperature led to a better mass transfer, current distribution, and cell performance. By comparing the polarization curve, current, velocity, and pressure distribution, the results also indicated that the PEM water electrolyzer with a parallel flow field had the best performance. The results in this study can help in optimizing the design of PEM water electrolyzers.
质子交换膜（PEM）水电解是最具潜力的制氢方法之一，因其能量转换和存储潜力而备受关注。本文建立了一个用于PEM水电解槽的稳态三维数学模型，该模型耦合了电化学和传质物理场。讨论了不同运行参数对电池性能的影响。此外，还模拟了不同的流场模式，如平行、蛇形、多蛇形和交错流场，以揭示它们对传质和电流分布的影响，以及它们如何进而影响电池性能。数值模拟结果与实验数据吻合良好。结果表明，较高的温度导致更好的传质、电流分布和电池性能。通过比较极化曲线、电流、速度和压力分布，结果还表明具有平行流场的PEM水电解槽性能最佳。本研究结果有助于优化PEM水电解槽的设计。
