Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 054507 |
| Journal | Journal of the Electrochemical Society |
| Volume | 170 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - 22 May 2023 |
Abstract
Membranes in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) stacks are exposed to severe mechanical stress due to mechanical compression. Particularly critical is the gap between cell frame and porous transport layers (PTL). In this work mechanical stresses and strains on the membrane occurring during assembly and operation are quantified using a finite-element analysis applied to a simplified single cell sandwich. Within the simulation a Nafion® 117 membrane and the elastic-viscoplastic Silberstein material model is used. The material model parameters are based on and validated by experimental data from tensile tests to ensure matching with real PEMWE systems. The validated material model is used in cell simulations to identify resulting stresses and strains acting on the membrane. In accordance with experimental data, no critical states were identified. Furthermore, differential pressure up to 10 bar could not cause any significant change compared to deformations resulting during balanced pressure operation. Varying the gap size between cell frame and PTL resulted in a buckling in the simulated membrane for sizes of 0.3 mm and more during the membrane swelling. Such simulations can improve future cell designs while using an appropriate gap size with a given membrane thickness to avoid buckling and therefore possible failures.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Energy(all)
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science(all)
- Surfaces, Coatings and Films
- Chemistry(all)
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science(all)
- Materials Chemistry
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Vol. 170, No. 5, 054507, 22.05.2023.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Modeling Mechanical Behavior of Membranes in Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers
AU - Kink, Julian
AU - Ise, Martin
AU - Bensmann, Boris
AU - Hanke-Rauschenbach, Richard
N1 - Funding Information: We would like to thank Fabian Scheuren (Scheuren Simulation & Consulting GmbH) as well as Michael Frank and Christian Weidermann (Siemens AG) for supporting the model development. Funding Information: The publication of this article was funded by the Open Access Fund of Leibniz Universität Hannover.
PY - 2023/5/22
Y1 - 2023/5/22
N2 - Membranes in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) stacks are exposed to severe mechanical stress due to mechanical compression. Particularly critical is the gap between cell frame and porous transport layers (PTL). In this work mechanical stresses and strains on the membrane occurring during assembly and operation are quantified using a finite-element analysis applied to a simplified single cell sandwich. Within the simulation a Nafion® 117 membrane and the elastic-viscoplastic Silberstein material model is used. The material model parameters are based on and validated by experimental data from tensile tests to ensure matching with real PEMWE systems. The validated material model is used in cell simulations to identify resulting stresses and strains acting on the membrane. In accordance with experimental data, no critical states were identified. Furthermore, differential pressure up to 10 bar could not cause any significant change compared to deformations resulting during balanced pressure operation. Varying the gap size between cell frame and PTL resulted in a buckling in the simulated membrane for sizes of 0.3 mm and more during the membrane swelling. Such simulations can improve future cell designs while using an appropriate gap size with a given membrane thickness to avoid buckling and therefore possible failures.
AB - Membranes in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) stacks are exposed to severe mechanical stress due to mechanical compression. Particularly critical is the gap between cell frame and porous transport layers (PTL). In this work mechanical stresses and strains on the membrane occurring during assembly and operation are quantified using a finite-element analysis applied to a simplified single cell sandwich. Within the simulation a Nafion® 117 membrane and the elastic-viscoplastic Silberstein material model is used. The material model parameters are based on and validated by experimental data from tensile tests to ensure matching with real PEMWE systems. The validated material model is used in cell simulations to identify resulting stresses and strains acting on the membrane. In accordance with experimental data, no critical states were identified. Furthermore, differential pressure up to 10 bar could not cause any significant change compared to deformations resulting during balanced pressure operation. Varying the gap size between cell frame and PTL resulted in a buckling in the simulated membrane for sizes of 0.3 mm and more during the membrane swelling. Such simulations can improve future cell designs while using an appropriate gap size with a given membrane thickness to avoid buckling and therefore possible failures.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85160214356&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1149/1945-7111/acd47f
DO - 10.1149/1945-7111/acd47f
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85160214356
VL - 170
JO - Journal of the Electrochemical Society
JF - Journal of the Electrochemical Society
SN - 0013-4651
IS - 5
M1 - 054507
ER -