High-speed characterization of two-phase flow and bubble dynamics in titanium felt porous media for hydrogen production

Li, Yifan; Yang, Gaoqiang; Yu, Shule; Mo, Jingke; Li, Kui; Xie, Zhiqiang; Ding, Lei; Wang, Weitian; Zhang, Feng-Yuan

doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2021.137751

Title: High-speed characterization of two-phase flow and bubble dynamics in titanium felt porous media for hydrogen production

Journal Article · Sun Jan 10 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Electrochimica Acta

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2021.137751· OSTI ID:1848779

Li, Yifan ^[1]; Yang, Gaoqiang ^[1]; Yu, Shule ^[1]; Mo, Jingke ^[1]; Li, Kui ^[1]; Xie, Zhiqiang ^[1]; Ding, Lei ^[1]; Wang, Weitian ^[1];

^[1]

Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). UT Space Inst. Dept. of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering. Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power (NanoHELP)

Bubble dynamics and two-phase flow phenomena are closely related to the performance of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs). This paper reports an in-situ study of the oxygen bubble behavior and associated multiphase evolutions in the anode side of PEMECs with titanium (Ti) felt liquid gas diffusion layers (LGDLs) by a high-speed visualization system. The micro oxygen bubble dynamics was captured and analyzed at different locations and virous operating conditions. The results show that the bubble detachment frequency and detachment diameter greatly increase with the operating current density. Additionally, they are significantly impacted by the local pore structure and morphology of Ti felt LGDLs. In the flow channels, there exist only several discrete micro bubbles at a low current density (0.04 A/cm²) and a large flow velocity (133 mm/s). At a current density (0.2 A/cm²) and a flow velocity (67 mm/s), a number of gas slugs are formed in the follow channels, in addition to discrete micro bubbles. At a high current density (1 A/cm²) and a flow velocity (67 mm/s), more bubbles appear in the channel, and the flow field is dominated by slug or annular flows. These investigations can help to better understand the two-phase flow and bubble detachment mechanism, and provide a foundation for electrochemical reaction, multiphase flow studies and optimize the design of gas diffusion layers and flow fields for PEMECs in the future.

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Research Organization:: Skyre, Inc., East Hartford, CT (United States); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Transportation Office. Fuel Cell Technologies Office; USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0008423; EE0008426; FE0011585; AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1848779

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1775751

Journal Information:: Electrochimica Acta, Vol. 370, Issue C; ISSN 0013-4686

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: High-speed characterization of two-phase flow and bubble dynamics in titanium felt porous media for hydrogen production

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