Porous Transport Layers for PEM Fuel Cell and Thermoelectric Cells

WORK PACKAGE 7:

Objective: The objective is to apply knowledge from WPs 1-6 to: 1) Design more energy- efficient electrochemical systems tailoring for instance their porous transport layer, 2) Describe the role of buoyancy in CO2 sequestration in reservoirs and 3) Predict hydraulic fracturing in three dimensions.

Principal Investigator WP7: Professor Signe Kjelstrup. Partners: Profs. Dick Bedeaux, Eirik Grude Flekkøy, Dag Dysthe, Bruno Pollet, Odne Burheim, Natalya Kizilova, Alex Hansen, Bjørnar Sandnes, Stéphane Santucci, Renaud Toussaint, Øivind Wilhelmsen. PhD-candidates: Marco Sauermoser, Kim R. Kristiansen, Astrid F. Gunnarshaug.

The fuel cell supply system for gas was improved by introducing a microporous layer into the nanoporous catalytic layer of a PEMFC, see Zlotorovicz et al. J. Power Sources, 287 (215) 472

We will now optimize access of gas through the microporous layer, see Kjelstrup et al. Energy and Fuels 24 (2010) 5097.

Selected articles

Kjelstrup, M-O Coppens, J. G. Pharoah and P. Pfeifer, Nature-Inspired Energy- and Material-Efficient Design of a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell, Energy & Fuels, 24 (2010) 5097-5108. DOI:10.1021/ef100610w
Zlotorowicz, Kaushik. Jayasayeed, P.I. Dahl, M. S. Thomassen and S. Kjelstrup, Tailored Porosities of the Cathode Layer for Improved Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells, J. Power Sources, 287 (2015) 472-477. DOI:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.04.079

Recent articles

Elisa Magnanelli, Øivind Wilhelmsen, Eivind Johannessen, Signe Kjelstrup, Energy efficient design of membranes processes by use of entropy production minimization. Computers & Chemical Engineering 117 (2018) 105-116
Sathiyaraj Kandhasamy, Asbjørn Solheim, Signe Kjelstrup, and Geir Martin Haarberg, Electrolyte Melt Compositions for Low Temperature Molten Carbonate Thermocell, ACS Appl. Energy Mater. (2018) DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.8b00984
V. María Barragán, Kim R. Kristiansen, Signe Kjelstrup, Perspectives on Thermoelectric Energy Conversion in Ion-Exchange Membranes, Entropy 20 (2018) 905; doi:10.3390/e20120905Chosen as Journal Issue Front cover https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/20

Facebook

Twitter

On June 12th, Tran Quoc-Anh, Ph.D student in Computational Geomechanics from the Department of Civil Engineering at Aalto University, Espoo, Finland, will present a research proposal regarding “Landslides investigation and consequences”. Please note that the meeting will be held on skype.

The title and abstract for the presentation is:

Abstract:

Landslides are a serious natural hazard common to many regions in Europe. From 1995 to 2014, 476 landslides were reported in Europe with a total of 1370 deaths and 784 injuries and an average economic loss of approximately 4.7 billion euros per year. It is important to estimate potential landslides and their consequences. However, modelling the landslides is a long-standing challenge as it involves the triggering mechanism (rainfall, erosion or human-made activities), the onset of failure and post-failure mechanism such as run-out distances. Therefore, it requires advanced numerical approaches to be capable of simulating large deformation problems as well as an advanced constitutive model to consider the solid-fluid transition behavior.

Antoine will also apply for a Marie Curie grant and will present his proposal before the group on Thursday, before the journal club.
The title and definition of the project is:

On June 13th at 13:30, Dr. Antoine Léo Turquet, researcher at PoreLab Oslo, will hold a presentation on “A-MAZE-IN-FUELCELLS: Use of disordered labyrinth patterns in Fuelcells”

On June the 18th, Professor Majid Hassanizadeh, Managing Director at InterPore and Professor of Hydrogeology at Utrecht University, will give a talk on “Advanced theories of two-phase flow in deformable porous media; experimental and computation studies”.

Abstract:

Two-phase flow in porous media is traditionally modeled using a modified form of Darcy’s law, two volume balance equations, and a so-called capillary pressure-saturation relationship. Darcy’s Law was proposed more than 150 years ago for the flow of a single fluid in soil. Since then, this equation, in almost original form, has been assumed to be applicable to more and more complicated porous media. But, there are many shortcomings of the so-called extended Darcy’s Law. Also, the empirical relationship between capillary pressure and saturation is known to suffer from some important shortcoming (it is hysteretic and may depend on the rate of flow or rate of change of saturation).

In this lecture, we present a new theory of two-phase flow, which comprises a truly extended Darcy’s law and a new capillarity theory, which has five main features: i) pressure gradient is not the only driving force, ii) saturation and pressure are not the only state variable; fluid-fluid interfacial area is another state variable, iii) capillary pressure is an intrinsic property of the porous medium and is not only a function of saturation but also fluid-fluid specific interfacial areas, iv) effective stress parameter is a function of fluid-fluid specific interfacial area as well as saturation, and v) there is a dynamic (or non-equilibrium) capillarity effect. We provide experimental evidences for the validity of the new theory. Also, pore-scale and continuum-scale simulations are used to study the possible significance of the new theory at various scales.

On June the 25th, Professor Majid Hassanizadeh, Managing Director at InterPore and Professor of Hydrogeology at Utrecht University, will give a talk on “Capillarity in porous media at different scales”

Abstract:

In this lecture, current definitions of capillary pressure, which are mostly empirical in nature are revisited and it is shown that they are special cases of a more general theory of capillarity. In particular, capillary pressure is defined at pore scale based on equations of momentum conservation for interfaces. It is shown that in general, capillary pressure is equal to the difference in pressures of the two fluids only under static conditions. For dynamic conditions, a non-equilibrium capillarity equation is derived. Based on results of experimental studies, it is shown the current working assumption that capillary pressure is a function of saturation is grossly deficient. In this regard, the role of fluid-fluid interfaces in the characterization of capillarity is elucidated. Computational and experimental studies are presented that highlight the value of new generalized capillarity theory.

Eirik Flekkøy on the famous TV program "Brille"

Professor Eirik Grude Flekkøy was invited on April 23rd, 2019, to participate to the famous Norwegian TV program, “Brille”, on TV Norge. Eirik explains the mechanism of the flying chain fountain phenomenon as well as 2 other physical phenomena. Read more here.

Gemini article: Grunnforskning kan gi bedre varsel før ras

Olav Galteland, Dick Bedeaux, Signe Kjelstrup, Bjørn Hafskjold and Alex Hansen explain how the activities at PoreLab could help with the prediction of mudslides. Read the article (in Norwegian) here

Cover story for Entropy

The paper from Mariá Barragán, Kim Kristiansen and Signe Kjelstrup entitled "Perspectives on Thermoelectric Energy Conversion in Ion-Exchange Membranes" was selected as the cover story for ENTROPY Volume 20. Read the paper here

Mechanisms of the Flying Chain Fountain

When a chain is released by one end from a container, it forms a striking arch extending well above the container. Watch the video of this curious phenomenon here and read more about the physics behind it here

50th Anniversary of the Nobel Prize to Lars Onsager

On Thursday 22 November, an exhibition on Lars Onsager opened at the Natural Science Library. It is now 50 years since he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Plan S: På høy tid at dette skjer

Professor og leder for SFF ’en Porelab, Alex Hansen, gir Plan S sin fulle tilslutning. Forslaget om at all offentlig finansiert forskning skal publiseres i tidsskrifter med åpen tilgang er eneste riktige, slår han fast.

The Sound of Science