Modeling of energy conversion processes at the microscale

• Research unit: SFOE
• Project number: 103102

Final report (English)

Main goal of the project was the development of an advanced numerical tool capable of modeling key microscale processes occurring in both thermochemical and electrochemical conversion systems. A particular objective was to apply the new model in a PEFC and compare the predictions with
measurements of permeabilities and diffusivities inside the gas diffusion layer (GDL).
The method of approach involved:
a) developing a new mesoscale Lattice Boltzmann model for: multi-species, non-isothermal, reacting,
complex three-dimensional geometry flows, and
b) carrying out permeability and diffusivity experiments in a model PEFC.

The main results are summarized below:
• Thermal-multicomponent LB model derivation 2D and 3D, and validations in a large number
of benchmark flows.
• Simulation of 3D porous media flows with application to PEFCs.
• Validation of complex geometry algorithm in 2D and 3D against experiments as well as
against other CFD numerical tools.
• Study and characterization of the GDL properties, using in-situ X-ray tomography under
normal operational conditions (saturation dependent permeability and diffusivity).
• Simulation of bulk chemical reactions.

Related documents

• Final Report [PDF] 5'396 kB