Thermal contact resistance measurements of gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Adam Scott Hollinger; Stefan Thynell

doi:10.1115/FUELCELL201549293

Thermal contact resistance measurements of gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

Localized temperature gradients in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell are known to decrease the durability of the polymer membrane. The most important factor in controlling these temperature gradients is the thermal contact resistance at the interface of the gas diffusion layer and the bipolar plate. Here we present thermal contact resistance measurements of carbon paper and carbon cloth gas diffusion layers over a pressure range of 0.7 - 14.5 MPa. Contact resistances are highly dependent upon the clamping pressure applied to a fuel cell, and in the present work, contact resistances vary from 3.5E-4 to 2.0E-5 m2K/W, decreasing non-linearly over the pressure range for each material tested. The data presented here also shows that the thermal resistance of the sample is negligible in comparison to the thermal contact resistance. Thermal uniformity in a fuel cell is desirable, and the measurements presented here can be used to more accurately predict temperature distribution in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum
Publisher	American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ISBN (Electronic)	9780791856611
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1115/FUELCELL201549293
State	Published - 2015
Event	ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum - San Diego, United States Duration: Jun 28 2015 → Jul 2 2015

Other

Other	ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Diego
Period	6/28/15 → 7/2/15

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Energy Engineering and Power Technology
Fuel Technology
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1115/FUELCELL201549293

Cite this

Hollinger, A. S., & Thynell, S. (2015). Thermal contact resistance measurements of gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. In ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum American Society of Mechanical Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1115/FUELCELL201549293

Hollinger, Adam Scott ; Thynell, Stefan. / Thermal contact resistance measurements of gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2015.

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title = "Thermal contact resistance measurements of gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte fuel cells",

abstract = "Localized temperature gradients in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell are known to decrease the durability of the polymer membrane. The most important factor in controlling these temperature gradients is the thermal contact resistance at the interface of the gas diffusion layer and the bipolar plate. Here we present thermal contact resistance measurements of carbon paper and carbon cloth gas diffusion layers over a pressure range of 0.7 - 14.5 MPa. Contact resistances are highly dependent upon the clamping pressure applied to a fuel cell, and in the present work, contact resistances vary from 3.5E-4 to 2.0E-5 m2K/W, decreasing non-linearly over the pressure range for each material tested. The data presented here also shows that the thermal resistance of the sample is negligible in comparison to the thermal contact resistance. Thermal uniformity in a fuel cell is desirable, and the measurements presented here can be used to more accurately predict temperature distribution in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell.",

author = "Hollinger, {Adam Scott} and Stefan Thynell",

year = "2015",

doi = "10.1115/FUELCELL201549293",

language = "English (US)",

booktitle = "ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum",

publisher = "American Society of Mechanical Engineers",

note = "ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum ; Conference date: 28-06-2015 Through 02-07-2015",

}

Hollinger, AS & Thynell, S 2015, Thermal contact resistance measurements of gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. in ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum, San Diego, United States, 6/28/15. https://doi.org/10.1115/FUELCELL201549293

Thermal contact resistance measurements of gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. / Hollinger, Adam Scott; Thynell, Stefan.
ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2015.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Thermal contact resistance measurements of gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

AU - Hollinger, Adam Scott

AU - Thynell, Stefan

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Localized temperature gradients in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell are known to decrease the durability of the polymer membrane. The most important factor in controlling these temperature gradients is the thermal contact resistance at the interface of the gas diffusion layer and the bipolar plate. Here we present thermal contact resistance measurements of carbon paper and carbon cloth gas diffusion layers over a pressure range of 0.7 - 14.5 MPa. Contact resistances are highly dependent upon the clamping pressure applied to a fuel cell, and in the present work, contact resistances vary from 3.5E-4 to 2.0E-5 m2K/W, decreasing non-linearly over the pressure range for each material tested. The data presented here also shows that the thermal resistance of the sample is negligible in comparison to the thermal contact resistance. Thermal uniformity in a fuel cell is desirable, and the measurements presented here can be used to more accurately predict temperature distribution in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

AB - Localized temperature gradients in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell are known to decrease the durability of the polymer membrane. The most important factor in controlling these temperature gradients is the thermal contact resistance at the interface of the gas diffusion layer and the bipolar plate. Here we present thermal contact resistance measurements of carbon paper and carbon cloth gas diffusion layers over a pressure range of 0.7 - 14.5 MPa. Contact resistances are highly dependent upon the clamping pressure applied to a fuel cell, and in the present work, contact resistances vary from 3.5E-4 to 2.0E-5 m2K/W, decreasing non-linearly over the pressure range for each material tested. The data presented here also shows that the thermal resistance of the sample is negligible in comparison to the thermal contact resistance. Thermal uniformity in a fuel cell is desirable, and the measurements presented here can be used to more accurately predict temperature distribution in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

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M3 - Conference contribution

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BT - ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum

PB - American Society of Mechanical Engineers

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ER -

Hollinger AS, Thynell S. Thermal contact resistance measurements of gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. In ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, FUELCELL 2015, collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum. American Society of Mechanical Engineers. 2015 doi: 10.1115/FUELCELL201549293

Thermal contact resistance measurements of gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Abstract

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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

UN SDGs

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