US-Canada Planning Visit: Investigating Multiphase, Multiscale Transport Phenomena in PEM Fuel Cells with Synchrotron X-Ray Radiography

质子交换膜(PEM)燃料电池是一种很有前途的替代能源技术，它使用像氢这样的燃料来发电。这种发电的主要副产品是水，如果管理不当，水会淹没燃料电池，严重限制其效率。解决PEM燃料电池中的这些水管理问题将带来更好的性能、更长的寿命，并更有可能用作经济上可行的电力来源。燃料电池是不透明的，因此不可能在燃料电池内部进行目视观察。因此，很难管理产生的水，因为不清楚水滴在哪里，也不清楚是什么原因导致它们被困住。了解燃料电池内部情况的一种方法是使用X射线技术。这项研究将在蒙大拿州立大学和萨斯喀彻温省大学之间建立合作关系，萨斯喀彻温省大学拥有先进的X射线科学测量设备。实验数据将更好地为计算机模型提供信息，并最终导致更好的燃料电池。更广泛的影响包括将研究融入课堂，将女性和少数族裔学生安排在实验室，以及为小学生到高中生提供科学演示。水在质子交换膜燃料电池中的传输仍然是一个悬而未决的问题，因为该系统是反应的、多相的、多尺度的、多孔性的，并且不能直接可视化。将传输现象与性能联系起来，目前依赖于数据不足的间接方法或模型来进行充分验证。与萨斯喀彻温省大学的合作提供了获得同步加速器X射线照相的途径，使这项研究能够准确地识别燃料电池中积水的位置，以了解如何有效地管理它。这项研究将从实验和数值角度研究燃料电池中的基本流体传输。多相流方面的知识将推动燃料电池的发展，并为微流体、多相热交换器和多孔介质流动提供更多的洞察力。该项目将(1)允许前往萨斯喀彻温省与同步加速器设施分享专业知识和安排时间；(2)收集和分析初始X射线照相数据；(3)建立实验和建模方法；以及(4)通过利用这些结果继续研究来继续合作。

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are a promising alternative energy technology that uses a fuel like hydrogen to produce electricity. The main byproduct of this electricity generation is water, which can 'flood' the fuel cell and severely limit its efficiency if not managed appropriately. Addressing these water management issues in PEM fuels cells will lead to better performance, longer lifetimes, and a higher likelihood of use as an economically viable source of electrical power. Fuel cells are not transparent, so visual observation inside a fuel cell is not possible. As a result, it is difficult to manage the water produced since it is not clear where water droplets are or what is causing them to stay trapped. One way to 'see inside' the fuel cell is to use X-ray techniques. This research will establish collaboration between Montana State University and the University of Saskatchewan, which is home to a sophisticated X-ray facility for scientific measurements. The experimental data will better inform computer models and ultimately lead to better fuel cells. Broader impacts include integrating research into the classroom, placing women and minority students in the lab, and scientific presentations for elementary through high school students. The transport of water in a PEM fuel cell remains an unresolved issue because the system is reacting, multiphase, multi-scale, porous, and not amenable to direct visualization. Connecting transport phenomena with performance currently relies on indirect approaches or models with insufficient data for full validation. Collaboration with the University of Saskatchewan provides access to Synchrotron X-ray radiography, allowing this research to identify exactly where water accumulates in a fuel cell to understand how to manage it effectively. The research will study fundamental fluid transport in fuel cells from experimental and numerical perspectives. Knowledge generated on multiphase flow will advance fuel cells and provide additional insight into microfluidics, multiphase heat exchangers, and porous media flows. The project will (1) allow travel to Saskatchewan to share expertise and schedule time with the Synchrotron facility; (2) collect and analyze initial X-ray radiography data; (3) establish an experimental and modeling approach; and (4) continue the collaboration by leveraging these results for continued research.