Two-Phase Flow Dynamics in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
Summary
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) rely on the managed coexistence of a gaseous reactant stream and the liquid water produced during electrochemical conversion. Within the gas diffusion layer and flow channels, liquid water may form droplets, films or slugs that interact with the gas phase via capillary forces, pressure gradients and surface wettability. Excess water leads to flooding, mass-transport losses and local reactant starvation, whereas inadequate hydration impairs membrane conductivity and durability. Research on two-phase flow dynamics therefore addresses the coupled transport phenomena, electrochemical kinetics and geometric design of flow fields to optimise water removal, maintain uniform reactant distribution and minimise pressure drop. Insights from experimental visualisation, advanced multiphase modelling and bio-inspired channel architectures are driving the development of more efficient, robust and scalable PEMFC systems for automotive, stationary and portable power applications.
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Two-Phase Flow Dynamics in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in two-phase flow dynamics in proton exchange membrane fuel cells across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Two-phase flow: Simultaneous motion of gas and liquid phases within porous media and channels.
Gas diffusion layer (GDL): Porous, hydrophobic medium that supports reactant gas transport and liquid water removal.
Capillary pressure: Pressure difference across a liquid–gas interface that drives fluid movement in pores.
Wettability: Surface affinity for liquid, characterised by contact angle, influencing droplet adhesion and motion.
Darcy’s law: Empirical relation describing flow through porous media as a function of pressure gradient, viscosity and permeability.
Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) method: Numerical scheme for tracking immiscible fluid interfaces in multiphase flow simulations.
References
- A nature-inspired solution for water management in flow fields for electrochemical devices. Energy & Environmental Science (2024).
- A comprehensive three-dimensional model coupling channel multi-phase flow and electrochemical reactions in proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Advances in Applied Energy (2021).
- Discrete-Particle Model to Optimize Operational Conditions of Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel-Cell Gas Channels. ACS Applied Energy Materials (2021).
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