Large scale simulation of PEFC with multi-scale structure

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14900
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 19020:Thermal engineering-related
• Research Institution: Ibaraki University
• Principal Investigator: Sakaida Satoshi 茨城大学, 理工学研究科(工学野), 助教 (40816170)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 固体高分子形燃料電池 / 格子ボルツマン法 / 多孔質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) are clean power sources due to it's harmless emission. To make commercially competitive the PEFC, the maximum current density has to be increased. Because the water blocks the diffusion of the oxygen, it is necessary to optimize the water transport in the cell. The simulation is useful approach to clarify optimal cell structure. However, the computational load for the water transport simulation of PEFC is high, and there are some difficulties to investigate the water transport in the PEFC. In this study, the algorithm which reduced the computational load and improved the numerical stability was added to the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), and I achieved the water transport simulation in the PEFC.

Free Research Field

熱工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

PEFCは二酸化炭素を排出しないクリーンなエネルギー変換装置であるが，現在に至るまで，コストの高さが問題となり，普及に至っていない．本研究で開発したシミュレーションモデルを用いることで，固体高分子形燃料電池（PEFC）の出力密度を向上できる電池構造を明らかにすることができる．これにより，出力あたりの単価を下げることができ，PEFCの普及，ひいてはカーボンニュートラルな社会を実現できる．