Experimental and computational design and optimization of fuel cells

燃料电池的实验和计算设计及优化

• 批准号: 371088-2010
• 负责人: SecanellGallart, Marc
• 金额: $ 1.89万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=572798
• 关键词: Experimental; computational; design; optimization; fuel

Polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) systems provide an innovative alternative to internal combustion engines and batteries. PEFCs could reduce the negative emissions from transportation engines and diesel power generators, and extend the reliability and lifetime of backup power and portable applications. Critical prerequisites for increasing the market penetration of fuel cells are production cost reductions, as well as performance, reliability and durability improvements. In order to achieve these goals, this research aims to improve fuel cell fabrication and design methodologies, with a focus on using novel micro-fabrication techniques, and innovative computational design methodologies. Enhancing mass and ionic transport processes at the micro-scale is critical to the improvement of performance in technologies that rely on heterogeneous (surface) reactions such as fuel cells and batteries. Novel micro-fabrication techniques such as material inkjet printing are now enabling the control of the microscopic features that control these transport processes. These technologies have received very little attention in the area of fuel cell manufacturing due to: a) a lack of understanding of how to use these technologies for PEFC fabrication, and b) a lack of a methodology for selecting the appropriate geometry and microstructure. In this research, inkjet printing and electrical discharge machining will be investigated to minimize the amount of catalyst in the PEFC, and to manufacture PEFC flow fields respectively. In order to find the optimal designs to be fabricated, innovative computational design methodologies such as topology optimization will be employed. This research will benefit the Canadian fuel cell industry by developing innovative PEFC components that can meet the required production cost reductions and performance improvements necessary for PEFC commercialization, and by providing the necessary HQP for developing and maintaining this growing technology.

聚合物电解质燃料电池（PEFC）系统为内燃机和电池提供了一种创新的替代方案。PEFC可以减少运输发动机和柴油发电机的负排放，并延长备用电源和便携式应用的可靠性和寿命。提高燃料电池市场渗透率的关键先决条件是降低生产成本，以及提高性能、可靠性和耐用性。为了实现这些目标，本研究旨在改进燃料电池的制造和设计方法，重点是使用新的微制造技术和创新的计算设计方法。 在微尺度上增强质量和离子传输过程对于提高依赖非均相（表面）反应的技术（如燃料电池和电池）的性能至关重要。新的微制造技术，如材料喷墨打印，现在能够控制控制这些传输过程的微观特征。这些技术在燃料电池制造领域中很少受到关注，这是由于：a）缺乏对如何将这些技术用于PEFC制造的理解，以及B）缺乏用于选择适当的几何形状和微结构的方法。在本研究中，我们将分别以喷墨印刷及放电加工的方式，来减少PEFC中触媒的使用量，以及制作PEFC的流场。为了找到最佳的设计制造，创新的计算设计方法，如拓扑优化将采用。这项研究将有利于加拿大燃料电池行业，通过开发创新的PEFC组件，可以满足所需的生产成本降低和性能改进所需的PEFC商业化，并通过提供必要的HQP开发和维护这一不断增长的技术。