Client
General Motors Global Alternative Propulsion Center, Honeoye, New York
Project Objectives
- Develop non-intrusive laser diagnostic techniques to measure chemical and liquid phase convective processes in polymer electrolyte PEM fuel cells
- Will improve the design of the cathode and increase fuel cell efficiency, and also allow for validation of PEM fuel cell models
Summary of Project and Results (Non-Confidential)
- Developed a concept for a partially transparent bipolar plate to allow for laser access
- Developed a procedure to measure the cathode gaseous oxygen and water vapor concentration and temperature using Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence
- Developed a procedure to generate a velocity map of the cathode gases using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV)
- Developed a procedure to measure cathode liquid water transport, droplet size, and droplet velocity using Phase Doppler Particle Anemometry (PDPA)
- Developed a procedure to qualitatively visualize the liquid water transport in the cathode channels using planar laser sheet diagnostics
A schematic of a concept to apply planar laser sheet diagnostics to a PEM fuel cell cathode in order to measure gaseous species concentrations and liquid water transport
(Developed for General Motors)