Clarification and control of interfacial mass transport in operational fuel cells by the combination of fiber-optic laser spectroscopy and simulation

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K05827
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Thermal engineering
• Research Institution: Kyoto Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Nishida Kosuke 京都工芸繊維大学, 機械工学系, 准教授 (00397043)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 熱工学 / 燃料電池 / レーザ計測

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, the laser gas analyzer with a fiber-optic probe was firstly developed based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) to measure reactive gas concentrations in flow channels of fuel cells at high speed and high sensitivity, and was applied to the direct monitoring of water concentration in the cathode channel of a working PEFC. Furthermore, the numerical simulation model for analyzing mass transport in gas diffusion electrodes was established by taking into account porous structure, and the liquid water behavior and oxygen diffusion at the cathode electrode/electrolyte interface of a PEFC were elucidated.

Free Research Field

熱工学