Numerical Simulation Of Gas-Liquid Phenomena In The Cathode Of A Stirred Tank Reactor Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Liquid water management is still a critical issue in the improvement of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) performance. In this work, for the first time, the liquid water behavior and transport inside the cathode of a PEMFC with a stirred tank reactor (STR) design, rather than the conventional PEMFC flow channel design, are numerically studied. The volume of fluid (VOF) method is employed in the simulation to track the gas-liquid interface. The capability of STR-PEMFC to reduce the liquid water flooding is also investigated and verified from the simulation, showing the potential of this channel-less type fuel cell in the further development.