Integrative Understanding of Mass Transport Phenomena in a PEMFC by Laser Ablation Tagging Visualization and Oxygen Absorption Spectroscopy

• Project/Area Number: 22246024
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Thermal engineering
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: HIRAI Shuichiro 東京工業大学, 理工学研究科, 教授 (10173204)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TSUSHIMA Shohji 大阪大学, 大学院工学研究科, 教授 (30323794) ; UEMURA Suguru 東京工業大学, 大学院理工学研究科, 助教 (70515163) ; NISHIDA Kosuke 京都工芸繊維大学, 工芸科学研究科, 准教授 (00397043)
• Project Period (FY): 2010-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥47,450,000 (Direct Cost: ¥36,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥10,950,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥6,890,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,590,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥7,280,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,680,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥7,020,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,620,000); Fiscal Year 2011: ¥11,440,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,640,000); Fiscal Year 2010: ¥14,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥11,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,420,000)
• Keywords: エネルギー利用 / 燃料電池 / 物質輸送 / レーザ応用計測 / 吸収分光 / 可視化 / レーザ計測

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed a visualization system of gas flow behavior called laser ablation tagging visualization (LATV), which showed a strong potential to examine flow behaviors in gas flow channel in an operating proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). LATV system was constructed with two pulsed lasers: one is for laser ablation tagging and the other is for excitation of the tag material for visualization. The system was validated and was also applied to an operating PEMFC. Flow velocity in gas channel at operating conditions was examined with variation of current density. The results obtained by LATV shows deceleration of the cathode gas flow velocity. It suggests that the liquid water condensed in the downstream of the channel. Combined measurement with flow velocity and oxygen concentration along the cathode channel is also demonstrated to obtain variation of local current in the cell. It revealed that intensive reaction was established in the upstream region of the cell.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Impacts of channel wettability and flow direction on liquid water transport in the serpentine flow field of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (2015)
  • Author(s): K. Nishida, R. Taniguchi, Y. Ishizaki, S. Tsushima and S. Hirai
  • Journal Title: J. Power Sources Volume: 275 Pages: 447-457
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.11.059
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Cross-Sectional Visualization of Liquid Water Behavior and Evaluation of Wettability Effect in Cathode Channel of an Operating PEFC (2014)
  • Author(s): K. Nishida, T. Muranishi, Y. Ishizaki, S. Tsushima and S. Hirai
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: Vol.64, No.3 Issue: 3 Pages: 853-862
  • DOI: 10.1149/06403.0853ecst
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Effects of Channel Structure and Wettability on Liquid Water Transport in the Cathode of a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (2014)
  • Author(s): 石崎勇吾，西田耕介，津島将司，平井秀一郎
  • Journal Title: KAGAKU KOGAKU RONBUNSHU Volume: 40 Issue: 4 Pages: 320-326
  • DOI: 10.1252/kakoronbunshu.40.320
  • NAID: 130004463945
  • ISSN: 0386-216X, 1349-9203
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Separation analysis of electro-osmosis and diffusion of water in electrolyte membrane of PEMFC under low-humidity operation (2013)
  • Author(s): K. Nishida, T. Hosotani, M. Asa, S. Tsushima and S. Hirai
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: Vol.58, No.1 Issue: 1 Pages: 621-630
  • DOI: 10.1149/05801.0621ecst
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Effect of perforation structure of cathode GDL on liquid water removal in PEFC (2013)
  • Author(s): G. Okuhata, T. Tonoike, K. Nishida, S. Tsushima and S. Hirai
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: Vol.58, No.1 Issue: 1 Pages: 1047-1057
  • DOI: 10.1149/05801.1047ecst
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Quantitative estimation of water vapor distribution in low-humidity proton exchange membrane fuel cell using humidity test paper (2013)
  • Author(s): K. Nishida, Y. Yokoi, M. Asa, S. Tsushima and S. Hirai
  • Journal Title: J. Power Sources Volume: Vol.234 Pages: 111-118
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2013.01.160
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] PEFCカソード側MPLの緻密性が界面物質輸送と濃度過電圧に与える影響 (2014)
  • Author(s): 西田耕介，奥畑剛，津島将司，平井秀一郎
  • Organizer: 第55回電池討論会
  • Place of Presentation: 国立京都国際会館
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-19 – 2014-11-21
• [Presentation] PEFCカソード側MPLの微細構造が液水輸送と発電特性に及ぼす影響 (2014)
  • Author(s): 奥畑剛，西田耕介，津島将司，平井秀一郎
  • Organizer: 日本機械学会熱工学コンファレンス2014
  • Place of Presentation: 芝浦工業大学（東京）
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-08 – 2014-11-09
• [Presentation] 発電状態PEFCのカソード流路内液水挙動の断面可視化と壁面濡れ性の影響評価 (2014)
  • Author(s): 西田耕介，村西徹，石崎勇吾，津島将司，平井秀一郎
  • Organizer: 第51回日本伝熱シンポジウム，(2014)
  • Place of Presentation: アクトシティ浜松・コングレスセンター（浜松市）
  • Year and Date: 2014-05-21 – 2014-05-23
• [Presentation] PEFCカソード電極内水分輸送におけるマイクロポーラス層の影響評価 (2013)
  • Author(s): 奥畑剛，大村究，西田耕介，津島将司，平井秀一郎
  • Organizer: 日本機械学会熱工学コンファレンス2013
  • Place of Presentation: 弘前大学（弘前市）
• [Presentation] 発電モードPEFCの電解質膜内における水分輸送の分離解析 (2013)
  • Author(s): 西田耕介，細谷卓人，麻雅哉，津島将司，平井秀一郎
  • Organizer: 第54回電池討論会
  • Place of Presentation: 大阪国際会議場（大阪市）
• [Presentation] 低加湿運転PEFCの電解質膜内における水分の電気浸透及び拡散現象の分離解析 (2013)
  • Author(s): 細谷卓人，麻雅哉，西田耕介，津島将司，平井秀一郎
  • Organizer: 第50回日本伝熱シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: ウェスティン仙台及び仙台トラストシティ（仙台市）
• [Presentation] PEFC流路内のガス流速計測技術と発電分布 (2012)
  • Author(s): 深堀大地 , 津島将司 , 西田耕介 , 平井秀一郎
  • Organizer: 第49回日本伝熱シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 富山国際会議場（富山県）
• [Presentation] In Situ Measurement of Flow Velocity in Gas Channel in a PEMFC by Laser Ablation Tagging Visuarization (2011)
  • Author(s): D.Fukabori , S.Hirai , S.Tsushima , K.Nishida
  • Organizer: 220th ECS meeting & Electrochemical Energy Summit
  • Place of Presentation: Boston, Massachusetts
• [Presentation] レーザーアブレーションタギングによるPEFC流路内のガス流動計測 (2011)
  • Author(s): 深堀 大地 , 平井 秀一郎 , 津島 将司 , 西田 耕介
  • Organizer: 第52回電池討論会
  • Place of Presentation: タワーホール船堀
• [Presentation] オゾン光吸収による燃料電池流路内非シード型速度計測 (2010)
  • Author(s): 野田豊人, 津島将司, 平井秀一郎
  • Organizer: 第47回伝熱シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 札幌