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| Fuel Cells |
Fuel Cells are devices that can perform a chemical
reaction (e.g. hydrogen and oxygen to water and energy) in a way
that the resulting energy is directly available as electric
energy. This is much more efficient than the 'traditional'
burning of the reactants where usually a lot of heat is generated. This
research, in collaboration with Keith Promislow, Michigan State
University, we are modelling a critical part of a PEM (polyelectrolyte
membrane) - fuel cells: the proton exchange membrane that allows
protons to travel from the anode to the cathode. Under realistic
conditions, the membrane absorbs water which leads to swelling. Our
research goals are:
- Incorporation of the effect of membrane swelling in
the equations describing the proton diffusion
- Analysis of the nonlinear diffusion equation
- Development of efficient numerical algorithms for the
solution of the model equations
Read more:
Membrane
Swelling
(talk
given at the CFC III, Banff Research Station in 2005)
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