Development of the variable gas channel which can carry out dynamic control of the amount of water content inside a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell

• Project/Area Number: 23560236
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Thermal engineering
• Research Institution: Kyushu Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: TANIGAWA Hirofumi 九州工業大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (80197524)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TSURUTA Takaharu 九州工業大学, 大学院工学研究院, 教授 (30172068)
• Project Period (FY): 2011 – 2013
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2013)
• Budget Amount: ¥5,460,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,260,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2011: ¥3,250,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥750,000)
• Keywords: 燃料電池 / 水素 / 可視化 / 熱工学 / 流体工学 / 固体高分子形燃料電池 / 可変ガス流路 / 格子ガス法

Research Abstract

Water management is important in the PEFCs because the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen produces water and condensation occurs in the cathode. We have developed the variable gas channel which can change the position of the rib. In this study, numerical and experimental studies were performed to examine the water behavior and the cell performance of the PEFC with the variable gas channel. Since the rib changes the gas flow, we can suppress the dry out and enables the long-time power generation. It is confirmed that the variable gas channel can control water behavior and improve the cell performance at the dry condition of MEA.

Research Products

• [Presentation] (2014)
  • Author(s): 谷川洋文・犬丸健太・鶴田隆治
  • Organizer: 第51回日本伝熱シンポジウム講演論文集
  • Place of Presentation: 浜松市(CD-ROM版)
  • Year and Date: 2014-05-21
• [Presentation] 調湿リブを有する固体高分子形燃料電池の水分挙動 (2014)
  • Author(s): 谷川洋文，犬丸健太，鶴田隆治
  • Organizer: 第５１回日本伝熱シンポジウム（日本伝熱学会）
  • Place of Presentation: 静岡県浜松市
• [Presentation] (2013)
  • Author(s): 谷川洋文・犬丸健太・鶴田隆治
  • Organizer: 第50回日本伝熱シンポジウム講演論文集
  • Place of Presentation: 仙台市(Vol.I)(22-23)
  • Year and Date: 2013-05-29
• [Presentation] 可変ガス流路を有する固体高分子形燃料電池の水分挙動 (2013)
  • Author(s): 谷川洋文，犬丸健太，鶴田隆治
  • Organizer: 第５０回日本伝熱シンポジウム（日本伝熱学会）
  • Place of Presentation: 宮城県仙台市
• [Presentation] (2012)
  • Author(s): 谷川洋文・池田裕介・鶴田隆治
  • Organizer: 第49回日本伝熱シンポジウム講演論文集
  • Place of Presentation: 富山市(Vol.II+III)(347-348)
  • Year and Date: 2012-05-31
• [Presentation] 可変ガス流路を有する固体高分子形燃料電池の特性 (2012)
  • Author(s): 谷川洋文，池田裕介，鶴田隆治
  • Organizer: 第４９回日本伝熱シンポジウム（日本伝熱学会）
  • Place of Presentation: 富山県富山市
• [Presentation] Cell Performance of PEFC with a Variable Gas Channel (2012)
  • Author(s): 谷川洋文，池田裕介，鶴田隆治
  • Organizer: The Third International Forum on Heat Transfer (IFHT2012)（日本伝熱学会）
  • Place of Presentation: 長崎県長崎市
• [Patent(Industrial Property Rights)] 固体高分子形燃料電池 (2014)
  • Inventor(s): 谷川洋文,鶴田隆治
  • Industrial Property Rights Holder: 国立大学法人九州工業大学
  • Industrial Property Rights Type: 特許
  • Industrial Property Number: 2014-099781
  • Filing Date: 2014-05-13
  • Overseas