TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of mechanical vibrations on damage propagation in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells
AU - Banan, Roshanak
AU - Bazylak, Aimy
AU - Zu, Jean
PY - 2013/11/13
Y1 - 2013/11/13
N2 - Vibrations and impact loads are common sources of mechanical damage in transportation applications; however, their impacts on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have yet to be fully investigated. In this work, the damage propagation in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is investigated under vibration conditions with a focus placed on the interface between the membrane and catalyst layer at the cathode. A numerical model based on the cohesive element approach is developed, and a parametric study is performed to investigate the effects of amplitude and frequency of applied vibrations as well as initial delamination length on damage propagation. Non-linear relationships were found between the damage propagation and these parameters, with the frequency of vibration having the dominant effect on damage propagation at larger amplitudes. This work provides insight into the importance of considering mechanical damage to the MEA under vibration conditions in transportation applications.
AB - Vibrations and impact loads are common sources of mechanical damage in transportation applications; however, their impacts on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have yet to be fully investigated. In this work, the damage propagation in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is investigated under vibration conditions with a focus placed on the interface between the membrane and catalyst layer at the cathode. A numerical model based on the cohesive element approach is developed, and a parametric study is performed to investigate the effects of amplitude and frequency of applied vibrations as well as initial delamination length on damage propagation. Non-linear relationships were found between the damage propagation and these parameters, with the frequency of vibration having the dominant effect on damage propagation at larger amplitudes. This work provides insight into the importance of considering mechanical damage to the MEA under vibration conditions in transportation applications.
KW - Cohesive elements
KW - Damage propagation
KW - Delamination
KW - Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells
KW - Vibration analysis
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.08.136
DO - 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.08.136
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84886728423
SN - 0360-3199
VL - 38
SP - 14764
EP - 14772
JO - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
JF - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
IS - 34
ER -