Client
General Motors Global Alternative Propulsion Center, Honeoye, New York
Project Objectives
- Develop techniques to reduce the airflow requirements in polymer electrolyte PEM fuel cells
- Reducing the airflow requirements will increase the overall efficiency of the fuel cell, and make it more economically viable
Summary of Project and Results (Non-Confidential)
- The main focus of the project was to enhance the exchange rate of gaseous oxygen and liquid water through the porous diffusion layer of the cathode
- The following methods were devised to achieve that objective
- Pulsating inlet cathode airflow using a piston compressor, variation of period and amplitude
- Acoustic excitation of the cathode channels
- Resonant channel acoustic modes to generate a sweeping standing wave
- Resonant vortex/amplification modes to generate large vortices that would enhance the vortex/surface interaction dynamics
Rough Schematics of Airflow Reduction Strategies in PEM Fuel Cells for General Motors