2007 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Combined visualization study on PEFC
| Project/Area Number |
18560736
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Reaction engineering/Process system
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| Research Institution | Fukui University of Technology |
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Principal Investigator |
MURAHASHI Toshiaki Fukui University of Technology, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Professor (10329451)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2006 – 2007
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| Keywords | polymer electrolyte fuel cell / water management / visualization / current distribution / combined observation / flooding / water droplet distribution / vapor pressure distribution |
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| Research Abstract |
From 2006 to 2007, combined measurements of visualization of water droplets and current distribution measurement were carried out as well as the comparison with the two dimension cell model.
1 Novel single PEFC cell was designed modifying the optical cell previously designed for visualization, where 16 pieces of fine current collectors were embedded in the webs of acrylic resin flow field. This structure is superior to the conventional cell structure for current distribution measurement in the points of direct collection of current from the GDL instead of carbon separator.
2. Current distribution was measured changing humidifier temperature, oxygen utilization ratio and CO concentration. Measurement of current distribution under CO poisoning was able to show the significant change of current distribution in the cathode plane. Current at the cathode inlet was decreased with the increase of CO concentration while current at the cathode outlet was increased significantly. This is understood considering that CO poisoning was significant at anode outlet and that counter flow configuration was adopted in this experiment. These findings are consistent with the results obtained from visualization measurement of water droplet. This shows the importance of combined measurement in the sense that one experiment is complementary to the other measurement.
3. Two dimension cell model has been developed in our laboratory and the calculated results were compared to those of current distribution measurements. The comparison gives fairly good agreement and it shows cell model is useful for the understanding of the change of current distribution under the various operating conditions.
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