Fractal flow patterns in hydrophobic microfluidic pore networks: experimental modeling of two-phase flow in porous electrodes

Details Fractal flow patterns in hydrophobic microfluidic pore networks: experimental modeling of two-phase flow in porous electrodes Fractal flow patterns in hydrophobic microfluidic pore networks: experimental modeling of two-phase flow in porous electrodes

2009-09-03

arxiv.org/abs/0909.0758v1

Physics

Fluid Dynamics

Submitted to the Journal of the Electrochemical Society

Scientific paper

Experimental two-phase invasion percolation flow patterns were observed in hydrophobic micro-porous networks designed to model fuel cell specific porous media. In order to mimic the operational conditions encountered in the porous electrodes of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), micro-porous networks were fabricated with corresponding microchannel size distributions. The inlet channels were invaded homogeneously with flow rates corresponding to fuel cell current densities of 1.0 to 0.1 A/cm2 (Ca 10e-7-10e-8). A variety of fractal breakthrough patterns were observed and analyzed to quantify flooding density and geometrical diversity in terms of the total saturation, St, local saturations, s, and fractal dimension, D. It was found that St increases monotonically during the invasion process until the breakthrough point is reached, and s profiles indicate the dynamic distribution of the liquid phase during the process. Fractal analysis confirmed that the experiments fall within the flow regime of invasion percolation with trapping. In this work, we propose to correlate the fractal dimension, D, to the total saturation and use this map as a parameter for modeling liquid water transport in the GDL.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Fractal flow patterns in hydrophobic microfluidic pore networks: experimental modeling of two-phase flow in porous electrodes does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Fractal flow patterns in hydrophobic microfluidic pore networks: experimental modeling of two-phase flow in porous electrodes, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fractal flow patterns in hydrophobic microfluidic pore networks: experimental modeling of two-phase flow in porous electrodes will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-35189