Water transport and flooding in DMFC: Experimental and modeling analyses

Water transport control is the major issue of direct methanol fuel cell. High water flow rates through the fuel cell imply extra water feeding at the anode and flooding at the cathode. In the present work, water transport and flooding in the direct methanol fuel cell are investigated through both experimental and modeling analyses and an interpretation of such phenomena is proposed. The model is validated on the experimental data of two different fuel cells in an extensive range of operating conditions. The analysis elucidates that water transport through the cathode diffusion layer is determined by vapor diffusion, slightly affected by current density, and by liquid water permeation proportional to current density, that occurs when liquid pressure in the electrode exceeds a threshold value. To simulate the effects of cathode diffusion layer flooding two mechanisms must be considered simultaneously: superficial pore obstruction, proportional to liquid water concentration in cathode channel, and bulk pore obstruction, proportional to liquid water permeation. The modeling analysis proposes the correlations to reproduce the effects of cathode flooding and permits to discuss the onset and magnitude of such phenomenon and the influence of micro-porous layer.

► We analyzed experimentally water transport and flooding in DMFC.
► We proposed and validated a model of water transport and flooding in DMFC.
► Water flow through cathode diffusion layer is due to vapor diffusion and liquid permeation.
► Flooding implies both superficial and bulk pores obstruction of diffusion layer.
► We developed correlations to simulate flooding effects.