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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "D2: Electrochem: Batteries, Fuel Cells, Capacitors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (11 February 2024) | Viewed by 13209

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Dr. Masli Irwan Rosli

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Interests: chemical engineering; computational fluid dynamics; fuel cell technology; drying technology; process system engineering; hazard identification and risk assessment; engineering education

Dr. Mohammed S. Ismail

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Guest Editor

School of Engineering, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
Interests: boost the efficiency of the low temperature hydrogen fuel cells through proposing new designs and materials; characterisation of porous media used in polymer electrolyte fuel cells; numerical modeling of the electrodes of the polymer electrolyte fuel cells; development of air-breathing fuel cell systems for portable applications

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I invite the submission of research findings for consideration to be included in this Special Issue concerning the Current Advances in Fuel Cell Technology.

With the rising demand to reduce carbon emissions, fuel cell technologies are being regarded as a sustainable power generation solution, having a favorable impact on future energy systems in various applications, from automotive to power generations, including for portable, residential, and power plant applications.

Although substantial effort has been undertaken to develop this technology at various levels from materials to systems, a significant number of challenges remain in the research and development stage. This Special Issue hopes to include papers attempting to propose solutions in the field of fuel cell technology systems to their full achievable extent.

Some key areas of research and development relevant to fuel cell technology are the fundamental investigation, modeling and simulation, and design and control at different levels, i.e., new materials, components, and systems. In addition, innovative solutions, for instance, the integration of fuel cell systems with other technologies, techno-economic analysis, and safety assessment to improve safety and efficiency of the fuel cell system should receive considerable attention in this Special Issue. Review papers are also welcome. All types of fuel cells and their applications are considered relevant.

I eagerly anticipate your valuable research contributions in this Special Issue.

Dr. Masli Irwan Rosli
Dr. Mohammed S. Ismail
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

fuel cell
design and control
power generation
fuel cell vehicle
modelling
simulation
fuel cell safety

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 13495 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Microporous Layer Ink Homogenisation on the Through-Plane Gas Permeability of PEFC Porous Media

by Narvin D. Neehall, Mohammed S. Ismail, Kevin J. Hughes and Mohamed Pourkashanian

Energies 2023, 16(16), 5944; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16165944 - 11 Aug 2023

Viewed by 728

Abstract

The through-plane gas permeability and morphology of PEFC gas diffusion media (GDM) is investigated for different microporous layer (MPL) ink homogenisation techniques (bath sonication and magnetic stirring) for low- (Vulcan XC-72R) and high (Ketjenblack EC-300J)-surface-area carbon powders. The MPL composition is held constant at 80 wt.% carbon powder and 20 wt.% PTFE for a carbon loading of 1.0 mg cm⁻². The MPL ink homogenisation time is held constant at two hours for both techniques and increased by one hour for bath sonication to compare with previous investigations. The results show that the through-plane gas permeability of the GDM is approximately doubled using magnetic stirring when compared with bath sonication for MPLs composed of Vulcan XC-72R, with a negligible change in surface morphology between the structures produced from either homogenisation technique. The variation in through-plane gas permeability is almost negligible for MPLs composed of Ketjenblack EC-300J compared with Vulcan XC-72R; however, MPL surface morphology changes considerably with bath sonication, producing smoother, less cracked surfaces compared to the large cracks produced via magnetic stirring for a large-surface-area carbon powder. An MPL ink sonication time of three hours results in a percentage reduction in through-plane gas permeability from the GDL substrate permeability by ~72% for Ketjenblack EC-300J compared to ~47% for two hours. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Fuel Cell Technology)

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21 pages, 14090 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Transport Phenomena in a Banded Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack—Part 2: Numerical Analysis

by Karol K. Śreniawski, Marcin Moździerz, Grzegorz Brus and Janusz S. Szmyd

Energies 2023, 16(11), 4512; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16114512 - 3 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1103

Abstract

Solid oxide fuel cells are recognized as a promising energy conversion technology. Crucial to the field is the opportunity to reduce the costs of prototyping methodology. Due to the difficulty of conducting direct measurements inside the electrodes and fuel cell’s channels, numerical modeling remains the primary tool for improving the understanding and analyzing a fuel cell operation. Here, a computational fluid dynamic simulation of a banded solid oxide fuel cell’s stack, applied to enhance the geometrical design, is shown. A mathematical model, which includes momentum, heat, mass, and charge transport phenomena, was developed and used for the numerical simulation. The model was validated against the experimental study and confirmed its accuracy. The gas flow rate influence on the performance was investigated in details. Various arrangements of fuel and air channels were simulated and analyzed, including extending the system into a short stack. The proposed design modifications led to an increase in the volumetric power density of the stack compared to the existing prototype design. The proposed mathematical and numerical models were shown to be useful for testing further design modifications to the stack, including performance analysis, by changing the operating parameters of the system or applying new materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Fuel Cell Technology)

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25 pages, 32448 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Transport Phenomena in a Banded Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack—Part 1: Model and Validation

by Karol K. Śreniawski, Maciej Chalusiak, Marcin Moździerz, Janusz S. Szmyd and Grzegorz Brus

Energies 2023, 16(11), 4511; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16114511 - 3 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1145

Abstract

This paper primarily focuses on the formulation and validation of mathematical and numerical models for a new electrolyte-supported solid oxide fuel cell stack. By leveraging numerical modeling, the main goal is to deepen the understanding of the operational aspects and transport phenomena within this system. The developed models are implemented in ANSYS, Inc., Fluent software, which enables a range of simulations. To validate the models, a stack fabrication methodology, a prototype construction, and conducted electrochemical tests were proposed. The simulated current-voltage characteristics for two different operating temperatures and three different fuel compositions were compared with the experimental measurements with satisfactory agreement. The counter-flow configuration was simulated and compared to the co-flow arrangement. The numerical simulation has demonstrated its efficacy in identifying possible design imperfections and enhancing the operational conditions of the prototype stack. Moreover, the developed model was further used, in Part 2 of this paper, to analyze the improvement options implementation for the next stage of the prototype. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Fuel Cell Technology)

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11 pages, 5280 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Synthesis of (Cu,Mn,Co)₃O₄ Spinel: Effects of Citrate-to-Nitrate Ratio on Its Homogeneity and Electrical Properties

by Joelle C. W. Mah, Isyraf Aznam, Andanastuti Muchtar, Mahendra Rao Somalu and Jarot Raharjo

Energies 2023, 16(3), 1382; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16031382 - 30 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1415

Abstract

The (Cu,Mn,Co)₃O₄ (CMC) spinel layer is useful in inhibiting Cr vaporization that deteriorates the solid oxide fuel cell performance. The effectiveness of the spinel layer in suppressing volatile Cr species from the metallic interconnects is strongly dependent on layer density, which is influenced by particle size distributions and agglomerations of the spinel powders. Considering that the material properties were influenced by the synthesizing conditions, this study elucidated the influences of citric acid (fuel) on the structure, morphology, and electrical properties of sol–gel derived CMC spinel powders. Dual-phase CMC spinel powders, consisting of cubic CuMnCoO and tetragonal Mn₂CoO₄, were successfully synthesized at citrate-to-nitrate (CA/MN) ratios of 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2. An undesired CuCo₂O₄ phase was observed in spinel powders synthesized at a low CA/MN ratio of 0.5. The CA/MN ratio has influenced not only the phase formation of CMC spinel, but also the particle size distributions. The CA/MN ratio of 1.0 yielded the finest CMC spinel with the least agglomerates, which then produced the highest electrical conductivity of 116 Scm⁻¹. Therefore, the CA/MN ratio of 1.0 was recommended for the synthesis of CMC spinel, which can be used in fabricating the protective coating of solid oxide fuel cell interconnects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Fuel Cell Technology)

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20 pages, 6898 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Energy System Powered a Building in Sharjah Emirates in the United Arab Emirates

by Tareq Salameh, Abdul Ghani Olabi, Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem, Mohd Shahbudin Masdar, Siti Kartom Kamarudin and Enas Taha Sayed

Energies 2023, 16(2), 769; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16020769 - 9 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1553

Abstract

In this study, a green hydrogen system was studied to provide electricity for an office building in the Sharjah emirate in the United Arab Emirates. Using a solar PV, a fuel cell, a diesel generator, and battery energy storage; a hybrid green hydrogen energy system was compared to a standard hybrid system (Solar PV, a diesel generator, and battery energy storage). The results show that both systems adequately provided the power needed for the load of the office building. The cost of the energy for both the basic and green hydrogen energy systems was 0.305 USD/kWh and 0.313 USD/kWh, respectively. The cost of the energy for both systems is very similar, even though the capital cost of the green hydrogen energy system was the highest value; however, the replacement and operational costs of the basic system were higher in comparison to the green hydrogen energy system. Moreover, the impact of the basic system in terms of the carbon footprint was more significant when compared with the green hydrogen system. The reduction in carbon dioxide was a 4.6 ratio when compared with the basic system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Fuel Cell Technology)

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10 pages, 1459 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lattice Expansion and Crystallite Size Analyses of NiO-BaCe_0.₅₄Zr_0.₃₆Y_0.₁O_3-δ Anode Composite for Proton Ceramic Fuel Cells Application

by Nurul Waheeda Mazlan, Munirah Shafiqah Murat, Chung-Jen Tseng, Oskar Hasdinor Hassan and Nafisah Osman

Energies 2022, 15(22), 8520; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228520 - 14 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1511

Abstract

This study reports on the structure analyses of NiO-BCZY (BCZY = BaCe_0.₅₄Zr_0.₃₆Y_0.₁O_3-δ) anode composite materials with the ratio of 50:50 for proton ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) application. A product of sintered NiO-BCZY was developed to understand the structural properties of the anode materials. The objectives of this work were (a) to investigate the lattice expansion of the anode by using a high-temperature XRD (HT-XRD) from 400–700 °C; and (b) to calculate the crystallite size of the sample by using Scherrer’s and Williamson Hall’s methods. The results obtained from the HT-XRD revealed that the diffraction peaks of NiO and BCZY are matched with the cubic phase perovskite structure. For example at T = 400 °C, the lattice parameter of NiO is a = 4.2004 Å and BCZY is a = 4.3331 Å. The observation also showed that the lattice expansion increased with the temperature. Furthermore, analyses of the Scherrer and Williamson Hall methods, respectively, showed that the crystallite size is strongly correlated with the lattice expansion, which proved that the crystallite size increased as the operating temperature increased. The increment of crystallite size over the operating temperature contributed to the increment of conductivity values of the single cell. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Fuel Cell Technology)

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10 pages, 1850 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Chitosan on the Corrosion Inhibition for Aluminium Alloy in H₂SO₄ Medium

by I Gusti Ayu Arwati, Edy Herianto Majlan, Sagir Alva and Wahyu Muhammad

Energies 2022, 15(22), 8511; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228511 - 14 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1106

Abstract

Aluminum AA5052 is an inexpensive and lightweight metal that has been used in a variety of applications, including the Bipolar Plate in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (BPs PEMFC). The alloy has good electrical conductivity and low corrosion. Corrosion rate (CR) increases during PEMFC operation with increasing temperature. Inorganic dyes, such as chromate, are commonly used to reduce metal corrosion. Unfortunately, they are toxic and have a negative impact on the environment. Chitosan, which is a green, cheap, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly organic solvent, can be used to solve this problem. Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD) technique was used to coated the surface of AA5052 with chitosan. CR was measured using electrochemical and weight loss methods (in 0.5 M H₂SO₄). The best research results are as follows. The lowest CR values were obtained at the EPD time of 20 min at a chitosan concentration of 0.5% wt. The results of the study using the weight loss method indicated that after soaking for 72 h, the chitosan inhibitor can reduce the corrosion rate (CR) with an inhibitor efficiency of 87.89%, while the electrochemical method obtained a higher efficiency of 95.12%. An increase in temperature will result in a decrease in the efficiency of the inhibitor. Testing with SEM-EDX, after being coated with chitosan inhibitor, the metal surface looks smoother and the Al composition is reduced and it is detected that there is adsorption of O, N and S elements that coated the metal to form insoluble complex compounds, so the corrosion rate decreases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Fuel Cell Technology)

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14 pages, 4106 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance Analysis of PEMFC with Single-Channel and Multi-Channels on the Impact of the Geometrical Model

by Masli Irwan Rosli, Bee Huah Lim, Edy Herianto Majlan, Teuku Husaini, Wan Ramli Wan Daud and Soh Fong Lim

Energies 2022, 15(21), 7960; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15217960 - 26 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1364

Abstract

A low-performance fuel cell significantly hinders the application and commercialization of fuel cell technology. Computational fluid dynamics modeling could predict and evaluate the performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with less time consumption and cost-effectiveness. PEMFC performance is influenced by the distribution of reactants, water, heat, and current density. An uneven distribution of reactants leads to the localization of current density that produces heat and water, which are the by-products of the reaction to be concentrated at the location. The simplification of model geometry can affect performance prediction. Numerical investigations are commonly validated with experimental results to validate the method’s accuracy. Poor prediction of PEMFC results has not been discussed. Thus, this study aims to predict the effect of geometry modeling on fuel cell performance. Two contrasting 3D model dimensions, particularly single-channel and small-scale seven-channel models were employed. Both 3D models are correlated with a multi-channel model to assess the effect of modeling dimension on the PEMFC performance. Similar stoichiometry and channel dimensions were imposed on each model, where theoretically, the PEMFC performance should be identical. The simulation findings showed that the single-channel model produced a higher current density per cm². From the contours of water and current density, the single-channel model does not show flow distribution. Thus, this leads to a higher current density generation than the small-scale model. The prediction of PEMFC performance is not thorough for the single-channel model. Therefore, the prediction of PEMFC performance is adaptable in a small-scale or comprehensive flow field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Fuel Cell Technology)

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Review

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25 pages, 4063 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sand and Dust Storms’ Impact on the Efficiency of the Photovoltaic Modules Installed in Baghdad: A Review Study with an Empirical Investigation

by Miqdam T. Chaichan, Hussein A. Kazem, Ali H. A. Al-Waeli, Kamaruzzaman Sopian, Mohammed A. Fayad, Wissam H. Alawee, Hayder A. Dhahad, Wan Nor Roslam Wan Isahak and Ahmed A. Al-Amiery

Energies 2023, 16(9), 3938; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16093938 - 7 May 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2035

Abstract

Airborne dust and dust storms are natural disasters that transport dust over long distances from the source basin, sometimes reaching hundreds of kilometers. Today, Iraq is a basin that produces dust storms that strike all neighboring countries such as Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. These storms affect the productivity and capacity of the photovoltaic modules and reduce the amount of electricity that is generated clearly. Airborne dust reduces the intensity of solar radiation by scattering and absorbing it. In addition, the dust accumulated on the photovoltaic modules causes a deterioration in their productivity. In this study, an extensive review of wind movement and its sources, especially those that hit the city of Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, was conducted. Practical experiments were also carried out during a storm to measure important variables that had not been measured practically before at this site. The experimental tests were carried out starting from 1 April 2022 and continued until 12 April. Within this period, a dust storm occurred that lasted for three consecutive days that was considered one of the most severe storms that the city of Baghdad had experienced in the last few years. Practical measurements showed a deterioration in the solar radiation intensity by up to 54.5% compared to previous days. The air temperature during the storm decreased by 21.09% compared to the days before the storm. From the measurements of ultrafine aerosol particles PM1 and PM2.5, there was a significant increase of 569.9% and 441% compared to the days before the storm, respectively. Additionally, the measurements showed an increase of 217.22% and 319.21% in PM10 and total suspended particles, respectively. Indoor performance experiments showed a deterioration of current, voltage, power and electrical efficiency by 32.28%, 14.45%, 38.52% and 65.58%, respectively, due to dust accumulated during the storm days compared to the previous days. In the outdoor experiments, the rates of deterioration of current, voltage, power and electrical efficiency were greater, reaching 60.24%, 30.7%, 62.3% and 82.93%, respectively, during the storm days compared to the days before it. During a storm, cleaning the panels is futile due to the high concentration of dust in the air, especially by water. However, the photovoltaic modules can be dry cleaned with bristle brushes after the storm has subsided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Fuel Cell Technology)

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