Research on water transport phenomena in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells by means of observing inside of the cell with freezing method

• Project/Area Number: 24360076
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Thermal engineering
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: CHIKAHISA Takemi 北海道大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (00155300)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TABE Yutaka 北海道大学, 大学院工学研究院, 准教授 (80374578) ; 鈴木 研悟 北海道大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (50634169)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SUZUKI Kengo 北海道大学, 大学院工学研究院, 助教 (50634169)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥18,330,000 (Direct Cost: ¥14,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,230,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥6,630,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,530,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥7,670,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,770,000)
• Keywords: 燃料電池 / 固体高分子 / 生成水 / 凍結 / 二相流 / 可視化 / 物質移動 / PEFC / Cryo-SEM / 拡散層

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of the research is to clarify the water transport phenomena in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) by means of observing inside of the cell with freezing method, and simulating water behavior with LBM method. The results of the research revealed optimal structure of Micro-Porous Layer (MPL) for water discharge control, major catalyst parameters for higher catalyst performance, and CL-MPL interface condition for the better cold start in freezing temperature. LBM simulation method was also improved to simulate water behaver inside of the complex structure in gas diffusion layer.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Impact of micro-porous layer on liquid water distribution at the catalyst layer interface and cell performance in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (2015)
  • Author(s): Y. Tabe, Y. Aoyama, K. Kadowaki, K. Suzuki, and T. Chikahisa
  • Journal Title: Journal of Power Sources Volume: 287 Pages: 422-430
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.04.095
  • NAID: 120006328991
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Observation of water transport in the micro-porous layer of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a freezing method and cryo-scanning electron microscope (2014)
  • Author(s): Y. Aoyama, K. Suzuki, Y. Tabe, T. Chikahisa
  • Journal Title: Electrochemistry Communications Volume: 41巻 Pages: 72-75
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2013.12.029
  • NAID: 120005462412
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Analysis of Ice Distribution in Cathode Catalyst Layer and Shutdown Mechanism at PEFC Cold Start (2013)
  • Author(s): M. Yamada, K. Suzuki, Y. Tabe, T. Chikahisa
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: 58 Pages: 463-471
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Effect of interfacial structure between micro-porous layer and catalyst layer on water transport in PEFC (2013)
  • Author(s): Y. Aoyama, K. Suzuki, Y. Tabe, T. Chikahisa, T. Tanuma
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: 58 Pages: 1383-1390
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Microscopic Observations of Freezing Phenomena in PEM Fuel Cells at Cold Starts (2013)
  • Author(s): T. Chikahisa
  • Journal Title: Journal of Heat Transfer Engineering Volume: 34 Issue: 2-3 Pages: 258-265
  • DOI: 10.1080/01457632.2013.703579
  • NAID: 120005333600
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Two phase flow simulation in a channel of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell using the lattice Boltzmann method (2012)
  • Author(s): Y. Ben Salah, Y. Tabe, and T. Chikahisa,
  • Journal Title: Journal of Power Sources Volume: 199 Pages: 85-93
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2011.10.053
  • NAID: 120005348935
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Cold start characteristics and freezing mechanism dependence on start-up temperature in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (2012)
  • Author(s): Y. Tabe, M. Saito, K. Fukui, and T. Chikahisa,
  • Journal Title: Journal of Power Sources Volume: 208 Pages: 366-373
  • NAID: 120005946608
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Analysis of Performance Characteristics and Internal Phenomena of PEFC with Porous Flow Field (2012)
  • Author(s): 田部豊, 那須拓哉, 森岡怜史, 近久武美
  • Journal Title: TRANSACTIONS OF THE JAPAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS Series B Volume: 78 Issue: 789 Pages: 1151-1159
  • DOI: 10.1299/kikaib.78.1151
  • NAID: 130002050755
  • ISSN: 0387-5016, 1884-8346
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Analysis of ice formation process in cathode catalyst layer of PEFC at cold start (2012)
  • Author(s): Y. Tabe, R. Ichikawa, T. Chikahisa
  • Journal Title: Energy Procedia Volume: 28巻 Pages: 20-27
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.egypro.2012.08.036
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Analysis and Experiments of Major Parameters in Catalyst Layer Structure Affecting on PEFC Performance (2012)
  • Author(s): M. Kobayashi, Y. Tabe, and T. Chikahisa
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: 50 Pages: 415-422
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Microscopic Observations of Freezing Phenomena in PEM Fuel Cells at Cold Starts Observation of Water Transfer Phenomena in Micro-Porous Layer of PEFC (2012)
  • Author(s): Y. Aoyama, K. Kadowaki, Y. Tabe, and T. Chikahisa
  • Journal Title: ECS Transactions Volume: 50 Pages: 445-452
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] ANALYSIS OF LIQUID WATER BEHAVIOR IN GAS DIFFUSION LAYERS OF PEFC USING LATTICE BOLTZMANN METHOD (2014)
  • Author(s): Y. Tabe, T. Azuma, Y. Honjo, K. Suzuki, T. Chikahisa
  • Organizer: the 25th International Symposium on Transport Phenomena
  • Place of Presentation: Bagkok, Thai
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-05
• [Presentation] Analysis of Cathode Catalyst Layer Structure and Cell Performance in PEFC (2014)
  • Author(s): S. Akabori, K. Suzuki, Y. Tabe, T. Chikahisa
  • Organizer: The Electrochemical Society
  • Place of Presentation: Cancun, Mexico
  • Year and Date: 2014-10-07
• [Presentation] Effect of Wettability of Micro-porous Layer on Microscopic Water Transport Phenomena in PEFC (2014)
  • Author(s): Y. Aoyama, K. Suzuki, Y. Tabe, T. Chikahisa, T. Tanuma
  • Organizer: The Electrochemical Society
  • Place of Presentation: Cancun, Mexico
  • Year and Date: 2014-10-07
• [Presentation] オープンカソードファン式小型携帯PEFCにおける熱管理と最適流路構造 (2014)
  • Author(s): 高城広輔，鈴木研悟，田部豊，近久武美
  • Organizer: 日本機械学会2014年度年次大会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-09
• [Presentation] Structural optimization of porous flow fields to improve water management ability of PEFC (2014)
  • Author(s): Kengo Suzuki, Daiki Sato, Yutaka Tabe, Takemi Chikahisa
  • Organizer: the 15th International Heat Transfer Conference
  • Place of Presentation: 京都
  • Year and Date: 2014-08-14
• [Presentation] 氷点下起動に起因するPEFC性能低下現象の解明 (2014)
  • Author(s): 石間勇太, 鈴木研悟, 田部豊, 近久武美
  • Organizer: 第19 回動力・エネルギー技術シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 福井
  • Year and Date: 2014-06-21
• [Presentation] 多孔体流路を有する固体高分子形燃料電池の性能に及ぼす流路構造影響 (2014)
  • Author(s): 鈴木研悟，佐藤大樹，田部豊，近久武美
  • Organizer: 第51回日本伝熱シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 浜松
  • Year and Date: 2014-05-21
• [Presentation] 固体高分子形燃料電池におけるMPL の界面構造と濡れ性が水輸送現象に及ぼす影響 (2014)
  • Author(s): 青山祐介，鈴木研悟，田部豊，近久武美，田沼敏弘
  • Organizer: 第51回日本伝熱シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 浜松
  • Year and Date: 2014-05-21
• [Presentation] 固体高分子形燃料電池の触媒層構造と性能解析 (2014)
  • Author(s): 赤堀渉，鈴木研悟，田部豊，近久武美
  • Organizer: 第51回日本伝熱シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 浜松
  • Year and Date: 2014-05-21
• [Presentation] 凍結固定化法を用いた固体高分子形燃料電池におけるMPL内水輸送現象のCryo-SEM観察 (2013)
  • Author(s): 青山祐介，鈴木研悟，田部豊，近久武美，田沼敏弘
  • Organizer: 第50回日本伝熱シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: ウェスティンホテル仙台（仙台市）
• [Presentation] PEFC氷点下起動時における発電停止メカニズム解明のための触媒層内酸素輸送抵抗解析 (2013)
  • Author(s): 山田一樹，鈴木研悟，田部豊，近久武美
  • Organizer: 第18回動力・エネルギー技術シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 千葉大学けやき会館（千葉市）
• [Presentation] Analysis of Water Transport in the Vicinity of Micro-Porous Layer in PEFC with Freezing Method (2013)
  • Author(s): Y. Aoyama, K. Suzuki, Y. Tabe, T. Chikahisa,
  • Organizer: Proceedings of the ASME 11th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels
  • Place of Presentation: Hokkaido Univ., Sapporo
• [Presentation] Numerical Simulation of Condensed Water Behavior in Gas Diffusion Layers of PEFC using the Lattice Boltzmann Method (2013)
  • Author(s): Y. Tabe, R. Kamijo, Y. Honjo, K. Suzuki, T. Takemi
  • Organizer: Proceedings of the ASME 11th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels
  • Place of Presentation: Hokkaido Univ., Sapporo
• [Presentation] Microscopic Observation of Water Transport Phenomena in PEM Fuel Cell using Freezing Method (2012)
  • Author(s): T. Chikahisa
  • Organizer: 3rd International Forum on Heat Transfer, IFHT2012
  • Place of Presentation: Nagasaki Brick Hall (Nagasaki)(招待講演)
  • Year and Date: 2012-11-15
• [Presentation] Numerical simulation of liquid water in a gas diffusion layer of PEFC using the lattice Boltzmann method (2012)
  • Author(s): R. Kamijo, Y. Tabe, T. Chikahisa
  • Organizer: Proceedings of the 3rd International Forum on Heat Transfer, IFHT2012
  • Place of Presentation: Nagasaki Brick Hall (Nagasaki)
  • Year and Date: 2012-11-14
• [Presentation] 固体高分子形燃料電池性能に及ぼす触媒層構造影響に関する実験およびモデル計算比較 (2012)
  • Author(s): 小林将矢, 田部豊, 近久武美
  • Organizer: 日本機械学会2012年度年次大会
  • Place of Presentation: 金沢大学(石川県)
  • Year and Date: 2012-09-11
• [Presentation] 格子ボルツマン法を用いた固体高分子形燃料電池ガス拡散層内での気液二層流解析 (2012)
  • Author(s): 上條隆治, 田部豊, 近久武美
  • Organizer: 日本機械学会2012年度年次大会
  • Place of Presentation: 金沢大学(石川県)
  • Year and Date: 2012-09-11
• [Presentation] Study on water transport phenomena through micro-porous layers in PEFC (2012)
  • Author(s): T. Chikahisa, Y. Tabe, K. Kadowaki
  • Organizer: Proceedings of the ASME 10th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels、ICNMM2012
  • Place of Presentation: Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort (Puerto Rico)
  • Year and Date: 2012-07-10
• [Presentation] デッドエンド式自然給気型PEMFCにおける送風条件と凝縮水挙動 (2012)
  • Author(s): 糸見宗志, 佐藤大和,田部豊, 近久武美、
  • Organizer: 第17回動力・エネルギー技術シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 九州大学(福岡)
  • Year and Date: 2012-06-22
• [Presentation] 多孔体セパレータを有する固体高分子形燃料電池内の凝縮水挙動と性能特性 (2012)
  • Author(s): 本庄祐次, 那須拓哉, 近久武美, 田部豊
  • Organizer: 第17回動力・エネルギー技術シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 九州大学(福岡)
  • Year and Date: 2012-06-22
• [Presentation] 固体高分子形燃料電池内の生成水移動現象に及ぼすMPLの影響 (2012)
  • Author(s): 門脇主将, 田部豊, 近久武美
  • 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)
  • Year and Date: 2012-06-01
• [Presentation] PEFC氷点下起動時におけるカソード触媒層内氷形成プロセスの観察 (2012)
  • Author(s): 市川亮輔, 山田一樹, 田部豊, 近久武美
  • 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)
  • Year and Date: 2012-06-01