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Processes
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Modeling Approaches in Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers
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Modeling Approaches in Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 25130

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giosue Giacoppo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Research Council, Institute of Advanced Technologies for Energy "Nicola Giordano", 5-98126 Messina, Sicilia, Italy
Interests: fuel cells; modelling; design; numerical simulation; computational fluid dynamics
Prof. Dr. Bruno Auvity

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Polytech Nantes, The Graduate School of Engineering of University of Nantes, 44306 Nantes, France
Interests: heat and mass transport; fuel cells; modelling; gas/liquid flows in porous media; thermodynamics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fuel cells and Electrolyzers represent the most promising technologies that will drive the modern society towards a decarbonization process based on hydrogen. However, extensive research efforts are still needed to improve their performance, durability, and reversibility, as well as to reduce the cost of these technologies to make them economically competitive. Extensive experimental studies have been conducted in the recent years to address the issues above for both fuel cells and electrolysers, and to understand the degradation of such devices. Apart from experimental investigation, mathematical and associated numerical modelling  are considered as a powerful tool to study the complex and coupled physics and electrochemical processes in devices, particularly the combined transport and reaction processes, which are dramatically critical for design optimization and practical application of FC and EZ, but are difficult or near impossible to study by experiments. Several mathematical approaches can be employed to study these devices from atomistic models to understand fundamental reactions that take place on the catalysts surface, to mechanistic models even involving multiphase transport and reaction in the intricated geometries.

This Special Issue aims to collect the most recent research advances in Fuel cell and electrolyser modelling approaches from a multidisciplinary point of view, highlighting the benefits and the challenges of the present methods and the future directions in this field.

Dr. Giosue Giacoppo
Prof. Dr. Bruno Auvity
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 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 modelling
  • electrolyser
  • analytical modelling
  • empirical modelling
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD
  • system modelling
  • transport mechanism

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 4460 KiB  
Article
Fractional Order PID Design for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell System Using an Extended Grey Wolf Optimizer
by Mohammed Yousri Silaa, Oscar Barambones, Mohamed Derbeli, Cristian Napole and Aissa Bencherif
Processes 2022, 10(3), 450; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10030450 - 23 Feb 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2071
Abstract
This paper presents a comparison of optimizers for tuning a fractional-order proportional-integral-derivative (FOPID) and proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers, which were applied to a DC/DC boost converter. Grey wolf optimizer (GWO) and extended grey wolf optimizer (EGWO) have been chosen to achieve suitable parameters. This [...] Read more.
This paper presents a comparison of optimizers for tuning a fractional-order proportional-integral-derivative (FOPID) and proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers, which were applied to a DC/DC boost converter. Grey wolf optimizer (GWO) and extended grey wolf optimizer (EGWO) have been chosen to achieve suitable parameters. This strategy aims to improve and optimize a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) output power quality through its link with the boost converter. The model and controllers have been implemented in a MATLAB/SIMULINK environment. This study has been conducted to compare the effectiveness of the proposed controllers in the transient, accuracy in tracking the reference current, steady-state, dynamic responses, overshoots, and response time. Results showed that the combination EGWO-FOPID had significant advantages over the rest of the optimized controllers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling Approaches in Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers)
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15 pages, 7598 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Ambient Temperature Influence on the PEMFC Characteristics: Modeling from a Single Cell to a Stack
by Nikita Faddeev, Evgeny Anisimov, Maxim Belichenko, Alexandra Kuriganova and Nina Smirnova
Processes 2021, 9(12), 2117; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9122117 - 24 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2293
Abstract
Power supply systems based on air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stacks are becoming more popular as power sources for mobile applications. We try to create a PEMFC model that allows for predicting the PEMFC operation in various climatic conditions. A total [...] Read more.
Power supply systems based on air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stacks are becoming more popular as power sources for mobile applications. We try to create a PEMFC model that allows for predicting the PEMFC operation in various climatic conditions. A total of two models were developed and used: the membrane electrode assemble (MEA) model and the PEMFC stack model. The developed MEA model allows to determine the influence of external factors (temperature) on the PEMFC power density. The data obtained using the developed model correlate with experimental data at low ambient temperatures (10–30 °C). The difference between the simulation and experimental data is less than 10%. However, the accuracy of the model during PEMFC operation at high (>30 °C) and negative ambient temperatures remains in doubt and requires improvement. The obtained data were integrated into the air-cooled PEMFC stack model. Data of the temperature fields distribution will help to manage the processes in the PEMFC stack. The maximum temperature is slightly above 60 °C, which corresponds to the optimal conditions for the operation of the stack. The temperature gradient across the longitudinal section is very low (<20 °C), which is a positive factor for the chemical reaction. However, the temperature gradient observed across the cross section of the PEMFC stack is 30 °C. The data obtained will help to optimize the mass-dimensional characteristics of air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell and increase their performance. The synergetic effect between the MEA model and the PEMFC stack model can be successfully used in the selection of materials and the development of a thermoregulation system in the PEMFC stack. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling Approaches in Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers)
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13 pages, 4727 KiB  
Article
Estimating the Remaining Useful Life of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells under Variable Loading Conditions Online
by Penghao Wang, Hao Liu, Ming Hou, Limin Zheng, Yue Yang, Jiangtao Geng, Wei Song and Zhigang Shao
Processes 2021, 9(8), 1459; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9081459 - 21 Aug 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2132
Abstract
The major challenges for the commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are durability and cost. Prognostics and health management technology enable appropriate decisions and maintenance measures by estimating the current state of health and predicting the degradation trend, which can help [...] Read more.
The major challenges for the commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are durability and cost. Prognostics and health management technology enable appropriate decisions and maintenance measures by estimating the current state of health and predicting the degradation trend, which can help extend the life and reduce the maintenance costs of PEMFCs. This paper proposes an online model-based prognostics method to estimate the degradation trend and the remaining useful life of PEMFCs. A non-linear empirical degradation model is proposed based on an aging test, then three degradation state variables, including degradation degree, degradation speed and degradation acceleration, can be estimated online by the particle filter algorithm to predict the degradation trend and remaining useful life. Moreover, a new health indicator is proposed to replace the actual variable loading conditions with the simulated constant loading conditions. Test results using actual aging data show that the proposed method is suitable for online remaining useful life estimation under variable loading conditions. In addition, the proposed prognostics method, which considers the activation loss and the ohmic loss to be the main factors leading to the voltage degradation of PEMFCs, can predict the degradation trend and remaining useful life at variable degradation accelerations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling Approaches in Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers)
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11 pages, 64135 KiB  
Article
Transport Parameter Correlations for Digitally Created PEFC Gas Diffusion Layers by Using OpenPNM
by Ángel Encalada-Dávila, Mayken Espinoza-Andaluz, Julio Barzola-Monteses, Shian Li and Martin Andersson
Processes 2021, 9(7), 1141; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9071141 - 30 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2269
Abstract
A polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) is an electrochemical device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy and heat. The energy conversion is simple; however, the multiphysics phenomena involved in the energy conversion process must be analyzed in detail. The gas diffusion layer [...] Read more.
A polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) is an electrochemical device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy and heat. The energy conversion is simple; however, the multiphysics phenomena involved in the energy conversion process must be analyzed in detail. The gas diffusion layer (GDL) provides a diffusion media for reactant gases and gives mechanical support to the fuel cell. It is a complex medium whose properties impact the fuel cell’s efficiency. Therefore, an in-depth analysis is required to improve its mechanical and physical properties. In the current study, several transport phenomena through three-dimensional digitally created GDLs have been analyzed. Once the porous microstructure is generated and the transport phenomena are mimicked, transport parameters related to the fluid flow and mass diffusion are computed. The GDLs are approximated to the carbon paper represented as a grouped package of carbon fibers. Several correlations, based on the fiber diameter, to predict their transport properties are proposed. The digitally created GDLs and the transport phenomena have been modeled using the open-source library named Open Pore Network Modeling (OpenPNM). The proposed correlations show a good fit with the obtained data with an R-square of approximately 0.98. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling Approaches in Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers)
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19 pages, 5269 KiB  
Article
Capabilities and Limitations of 3D-CFD Simulation of Anode Flow Fields of High-Pressure PEM Water Electrolysis
by Christoph Haas, Marie-Gabrielle Macherhammer, Nejc Klopcic and Alexander Trattner
Processes 2021, 9(6), 968; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9060968 - 29 May 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 9307
Abstract
In this work, single-phase (liquid water) and two-phase (liquid water and gaseous oxygen) 3D-CFD flow analysis of the anode of a high pressure PEM electrolysis cell was conducted. 3D-CFD simulation models of the anode side porous transport layer of a PEM electrolyzer cell [...] Read more.
In this work, single-phase (liquid water) and two-phase (liquid water and gaseous oxygen) 3D-CFD flow analysis of the anode of a high pressure PEM electrolysis cell was conducted. 3D-CFD simulation models of the anode side porous transport layer of a PEM electrolyzer cell were created for the flow analysis. For the geometrical modelling of the PTL, two approaches were used: (a) modelling the exact geometry and (b) modelling a simplified geometry using a porosity model. Before conducting two-phase simulations, the model was validated using a single-phase approach. The Eulerian multiphase and the volume-of-fluid approaches were used for the two-phase modelling and the results were compared. Furthermore, a small section of the PTL was isolated to focus on the gas bubble flow and behaviour in more detail. The results showed plausible tendencies regarding pressure drop, velocity distribution and gas volume fraction distribution. The simplified geometry using the porous model could adequately replicate the results of the exact geometry model with a significant reduction in simulation time. The developed simulation model can be used for further investigations and gives insight into two-phase flow phenomena in the PTL. Additionally, the information obtained from simulation can aid the design and evaluation of new PTL structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling Approaches in Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers)
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25 pages, 5992 KiB  
Article
Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzer Emulator for Power Electronics Testing Applications
by Burin Yodwong, Damien Guilbert, Melika Hinaje, Matheepot Phattanasak, Wattana Kaewmanee and Gianpaolo Vitale
Processes 2021, 9(3), 498; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9030498 - 10 Mar 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3897
Abstract
This article aims to develop a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer emulator. This emulator is realized through an equivalent electrical scheme. It allows taking into consideration the dynamic operation of PEM electrolyzers, which is generally neglected in the literature. PEM electrolyzer dynamics are [...] Read more.
This article aims to develop a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer emulator. This emulator is realized through an equivalent electrical scheme. It allows taking into consideration the dynamic operation of PEM electrolyzers, which is generally neglected in the literature. PEM electrolyzer dynamics are reproduced by the use of supercapacitors, due to the high value of the equivalent double-layer capacitance value. Steady-state and dynamics operations are investigated in this work. The design criteria are addressed. The PEM electrolyzer emulator is validated by using a 400-W commercial PEM electrolyzer. This emulator is conceived to test new DC-DC converters to supply the PEM ELs and their control as well, avoiding the risk to damage a real electrolyzer for experiment purposes. The proposed approach is valid both for a single cell and for the whole stack emulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling Approaches in Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers)
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Review

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11 pages, 1722 KiB  
Review
Short Review of Self-Powered Nitrogen Removal via Abiotic Electrochemical Catalysis
by Binbin Yu, Wei Xu and Yanxian Jin
Processes 2023, 11(4), 1096; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041096 - 04 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1315
Abstract
Microbial nitrification and denitrification are efficient technologies for the treatment of nitrogen-containing wastewater. However, these biotic technologies are inapplicable for the treatment of toxic substances such as heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, adsorbable organic halogens, and polychlorinated biphenyls, which have an inhibitory effect on [...] Read more.
Microbial nitrification and denitrification are efficient technologies for the treatment of nitrogen-containing wastewater. However, these biotic technologies are inapplicable for the treatment of toxic substances such as heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, adsorbable organic halogens, and polychlorinated biphenyls, which have an inhibitory effect on microbial metabolism. It is therefore necessary to develop abiotic nitrogen removal technology with comparable cost efficiency. Nitrogen contaminants are promising indirect fuel sources. The integration of electrocatalysis energy conversion with nitrogen contaminants could drive an entire electrochemical system to obtain nitrogen removal in a self-powered fashion. Research advances in the development of fuel cells have corroborated their promising application for nitrogen removal. This work aims to review the most recent advances in the utilization of ammonia and nitrate as fuels for self-powered nitrogen removal and demonstrate how close this technology is to integration with future applications. The mechanism of ammonia–oxygen fuel cells is first summarized, followed by an overview of recent research on self-powered systems based on various noble-metal-free catalysts. We then introduce different harvesting and conversion methods using nitrate with a desired power output and nitrogen removal efficiency. The final section demonstrates the shortcomings of research and future innovative perspectives for self-powered wastewater treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling Approaches in Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers)
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