Three-dimensional, two-phase, CFD model for the design of a direct methanol fuel cell

This study presents a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for modelling gas evolution and current distribution in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The improved two-phase model includes a new sub-model for estimating the interface mass transfer without empirical correlations. Simulation results in a horizontal channel of the DMFC agree with typical trends reported in the literature for bubbly flows. The increase in inlet flow rate is found to lead to a decrease in the gas content in the outlet of the anode channels. A case study illustrates applications of the CFD model for modelling gas evolution and current distribution in a DMFC with a parallel flow-field design. Simulation results with a improved two-phase model provide an explanation of experimental observations of a transparent DMFC with parallel channels. An improved three-dimensional CFD model includes all relevant phenomena and is valuable for gas management in a DMFC design.