InterPore2025

Development of the Lattice Boltzmann Model to Study Two-Phase Flow in the Anodic Porous Transport Layer of PEM Water Electrolyzer

20 May 2025, 10:05

1h 30m

Poster Presentation (MS19) Elastic, electrical, and electrochemical processes and properties in porous media Poster

Speaker

Supriya Bhaskaran (Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg)

Description

In polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWE), the efficiency of electrochemical reactions is critically dependent on the optimal flow of water and oxygen within the porous electrodes. A key challenge is the occurrence of concentration losses, also known as diffusion overpotential or mass transport overpotential (Vdiff), which result from mass transport limitations due to the counter-current flow of reactants, such as water, and the product oxygen gas within the pores of the anode porous transport layer (PTLa). These transport limitations hinder the electrochemical reaction efficiency, ultimately reducing the voltage output. Addressing these challenges is essential for enhancing the performance of PEMWE systems.
In this study, the multiphase, multicomponent Shan-Chen lattice Boltzmann model (SC-LBM) is employed to investigate two-phase flow within the porous transport layer (PTL) of PEMWE. Specifically, the drainage invasion process of oxygen (O2) in a water-saturated titanium (Ti) based anodic PTL structure is analyzed using the Shan-Chen LBM framework. Two distinct PTL materials, Ti-felt and Ti-sintered, are considered, with a focus on their differing local pore morphologies. The simulation results are compared with experimental data and pore network simulations. Reconstructed pore structures derived from 3D tomography image data are utilized for the simulations.
This work presents both the methodology and key findings, with a focus on the dynamic interaction between pore geometry and flow conditions in various anode PTL materials. The insights from the invasion profiles of LBM simulations provides a comprehensive understanding of mass transport phenomena, offering insights into strategies for improving PEMWE performance. Furthermore, the study demonstrates the application of image processing algorithms for accurate modeling and analysis. enable direct comparisons between experimentally observed invasion profiles and SC-LBM simulation results. This study offers valuable insights into PTL transport mechanisms.

Keywords: Lattice Boltzmann simulation; anodic porous transport layer (PTL); gas-liquid distribution; invasion pattern; pore-scale physics.