Review on hydrodynamic instabilities of a shocked gas layer

Hydrodynamic instabilities induced by a shock wave can be observed in both natural phenomena and engineering applications,and are frequently employed to study gas dynamics, vortex dynamics, and turbulence. Controlling these instabilities is very desirable, but remains a challenge in applications such as inertial confinement fusion. The field of “shock-gas-layer interaction” has experienced rapid development, driven by advances in experimental and numerical techniques as well as theoretical understanding. This domain has uncovered a diverse array of wave patterns and hydrodynamic instabilities, such as reverberating waves, feedthrough, abnormal and freeze-out Richtmyer-Meshkov instability, among others. Studies have shown that it is possible to suppress these instabilities by appropriately configuring a gas layer. Here we review the recent progress in theories,experiments, and simulations of shock-gas-layer interactions, and the feedthrough mechanism, the reverberating waves and their induced additional instabilities, as well as the convergent geometry and reshock effects, are focused. The conditions for suppressing hydrodynamic instabilities are summarized. The review concludes by highlighting the challenges and prospects for future research in this area.

Fractal Analysis of Gas Diffusion Layer in PEM Fuel Cells

The aim of this study is to show how fractal analysis can be effectively used to characterize the texture of porous solids. The materials under study were carbon papers, the backing material of the gas diffusion layer （GDL） in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell （PEMFC）. The fractal dimensions were calculated by analyzing data from mercury porosimetry. The polytotrafluoroethylene （PTFE） treated carbon paper shows a significantly high fractal dimension value than pare sample, and the high fractal dimension signifies that the physical complexity of the pore surface is enhanced. The fractal dimension can be used as a valid parameter to monitor the textural evolution of the samples as the treatment progresses, as this behaves in a similar way to other textural parameters. The use of fractal analysis in conjunction with the results of classical characterization methods leads to a better understanding of textural modificatious in the processing of materials.

Influence of gas-diffusion-layer current collector on electrochemical performance of Ni(OH)_(2) nanostructures

We report the electrochemical performance of Ni(OH)_(2) on a gas diffusion layer(GDL).The Ni(OH)_(2) working electrode was successfully prepared via a simple method,and its electrochemical performance in 1 M NaOH electrolyte was investigated.The electrochemical results showed that the Ni(OH)_(2)/GDL provided the maximum specific capacitance value(418.11 F·g^(−1))at 1 A·g^(−1).Furthermore,the Ni(OH)_(2) electrode delivered a high specific energy of 17.25 Wh·kg^(−1) at a specific power of 272.5 W·kg^(−1) and retained about 81%of the capacitance after 1000 cycles of galvanostatic charge–discharge(GCD)measurements.The results of scanning electron microscopy(SEM)coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS)revealed the occurrence of sodium deposition after long-time cycling,which caused the reduction in the specific capacitance.This study results suggest that the light-weight GDL,which can help overcome the problem of the oxide layer on metal–foam substrates,is a promising current collector to be used with Ni-based electroactive materials for energy storage applications.

Adsorbents for Gas Storage: Gas Energy, Sorbent Energy and Their Relationship to Capacity

Generalized variables make it possible to reveal the nuances of the structure of porous materials and divide samples into their series with similar properties (Titelman, L. AMPC 2021, vol. 11, No. 11). Adsorbents for gas storage have a unique set of variables that can be combined: textural and mechanical properties of the adsorbent, preparation conditions, pressure and temperature of gas during storage and delivery. Taking gas pressure and mechanical strength as forces, textural properties as displacements, we obtained the energies of gas and sorbent as generalized variables. The interrelationships between them and the storage capacity for metal-organic frameworks, porous organic polymers and activated carbons were studied. Due to the variety of sorbents and the attracting effect of micropore walls on gas adsorption, the previously proposed average thickness of the probing gas layer is useful as estimation of the pore size. Its effect on adsorbent capacity was tested. The ratio of the gas layer to the kinetic diameter of the molecule gives the packing of molecules inside the pores and makes it possible to represent the pore model. Excessive surface area results in too small pores, repulsive forces and reduced capacitance. Sometimes the gas energy correlates better with the residual adsorption uptake than with the total or delivery capacity. Compared to texture parameters, the proposed generalized variables correlate better with sorbent capacity.

Stress sensitivity of formation during multi-cycle gas injection and production in an underground gas storage rebuilt from gas reservoirs

Permeability sensitivity to stress experiments were conducted on standard core samples taken from Wen 23 Gas Storage at multi-cycle injection and production conditions of the gas storage to study the change pattern of stress sensitivity of permeability.A method for calculating permeability under overburden pressure in the multi-cycle injection and production process was proposed,and the effect of stress sensitivity of reservoir permeability on gas well injectivity and productivity in UGS was analyzed.Retention rate of permeability decreased sharply first and then slowly with the increase of the UGS cycles.The stress sensitivity index of permeability decreased with the increase of cycle number of net stress variations in the increase process of net stress.The stress sensitivity index of permeability hardly changed with the increase of cycle number of net stress variations in the decrease process of net stress.With the increase of cycle number of net stress variation,the stress sensitivity index of permeability in the increase process of net stress approached that in the decrease process of net stress.The lower the reservoir permeability,the greater the irreversible permeability loss rate,the stronger the cyclic stress sensitivity,and the higher the stress sensitivity index of the reservoir,the stronger the reservoir stress sensitivity.The gas zones with permeability lower than 0.3’10-3 mm2 are not suitable as gas storage regions.Stress sensitivity of reservoir permeability has strong impact on gas well injectivity and productivity and mainly in the first few cycles.

Atomic layer deposition of ultrathin layered TiO_2 on Pt/C cathode catalyst for extended durability in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

This study shows the preparation of a TiO2 coated Pt/C（TiO2/Pt/C） by atomic layer deposition（ALD）,and the examination of the possibility for TiO2/Pt/C to be used as a durable cathode catalyst in polymer electrolyte fuel cells（PEFCs）. Cyclic voltammetry results revealed that TiO2/Pt/C catalyst which has 2 nm protective layer showed similar activity for the oxygen reduction reaction compared to Pt/C catalysts and they also had good durability. TiO2/Pt/C prepared by 10 ALD cycles degraded 70% after 2000 Accelerated degradation test, while Pt/C corroded 92% in the same conditions. TiO2 ultrathin layer by ALD is able to achieve a good balance between the durability and activity, leading to TiO2/Pt/C as a promising cathode catalyst for PEFCs. The mechanism of the TiO2 protective layer used to prevent the degradation of Pt/C is discussed.

Feasibility Assessment of Fast Numerical Simulations for Real-Time Monitoring and Control of PEM Fuel Cells

Computational models that ensure accurate and fast responses to the variations in operating conditions,such as the cell tem-perature and relative humidity(RH),are essential monitoring tools for the real-time control of proton exchange membrane(PEM)fuel cells.To this end,fast cell-area-averaged numerical simulations are developed and verifi ed against the present experiments under various RH levels.The present simulations and measurements are found to agree well based on the cell voltage(polarization curve)and power density under variable RH conditions(RH=40%,RH=70%,and RH=100%),which verifi es the model accuracy in predicting PEM fuel cell performance.In addition,computationally feasible reduced-order models are found to deliver a fast output dataset to evaluate the charge/heat/mass transfer phenomena as well as water production and two-phase fl ow transport.Such fast and accurate evaluations of the overall fuel cell operation can be used to inform the real-time control systems that allow for the improved optimization of PEM fuel cell performance.

Lattice Boltzmann Simulations of Water Transport from the Gas Diffusion Layer to the Gas Channel in PEFC

Water management is a key to ensuring high performance and durability of polymer electrolyte fuel cell(PEFC),and it is important to understand the behavior of liquid water in PEFC.In this study,the two-phase lattice Boltzmann method is applied to the simulations of water discharge from gas diffusion layers(GDL)to gas channels.The GDL is porous media composed of carbon fibers with hydrophobic treatment,and the gas channels are hydrophilic micro-scale ducts.In the simulations,arbitrarily generated porous materials are used as the structures of the GDL.We investigate the effects of solid surface wettabilities on water distribution in the gas channels and the GDL.Moreover,the results of X-ray computed tomography images in the operating PEFC are compared with the numerical simulations,and the mechanism of the water transport in PEFC is considered.

Biodegradable Poly(propylene carbonate)/Layered Double Hydroxide Composite Films with Enhanced Gas Barrier and Mechanical Properties

Relatively well crystallized and high aspect ratio Mg-Al layered double hydroxides（LDHs） were prepared by coprecipitation process in aqueous solution and further rehydrated to an organic modified LDH（OLDH） in the presence of surfactant. The intercalated structure and high aspect ratio of OLDH were verified by X-ray diffraction（XRD） and scanning electron microscopy（SEM）. A series of poly（propylene carbonate）（PPC）/OLDH composite films with different contents of OLDH were prepared via a melt-blending method. Their cross section morphologies, gas barrier properties and tensile strength were investigated as a function of OLDH contents. SEM results show that OLDH platelets are well dispersed within the composites and oriented parallel to the composite sheet plane. The gas barrier properties and tensile strength are obviously enhanced upon the incorporation of OLDH. Particularly, PPC/2%OLDH film exhibits the best barrier properties among all the composite films. Compared with pure PPC, the oxygen permeability coefficient（OP） and water vapor permeability coefficient（WVP） is reduced by 54% and 17% respectively with 2% OLDH addition. Furthermore, the tensile strength of PPC/2%OLDH is 83% higher than that of pure PPC with only small lose of elongation at break. Therefore, PPC/OLDH composite films show great potential application in packaging materials due to its biodegradable properties, superior oxygen and moisture barrier characteristics.

Gas Transport Properties in Gas Diffusion Layers:A Lattice Boltzmann Study

The lattice Boltzmann method is applied to the investigations of the diffusivity and the permeability in the gas diffusion layer(GDL)of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell(PEFC).The effects of the configuration of water droplets,the porosity of the GDL,the viscosity ratio of water to air,and the surface wettability of the GDL are investigated.From the simulations under the PEFC operating conditions,it is found that the heterogeneous water network and the high porosity improve the diffusivity and the permeability,and the hydrophobic surface decreases the permeability.

Thin layer gas electrode and its application to measurement of dissolved oxygen

A novel thin layer cell equipped with thin layer gas electrode(TLGE)was studied as electrochemical gas sensor for the measurement of dissolved oxygen in water or aqueous solutions. The working electrode(TLGE)is a hydrophohic gas diffusing electrode placed between the cell electrolyte and the solution to be tested.The hydrophobic pores in TLGE serve as a gas chamber. After the sampling period,in which the partial pressure of dissolved oxygen in test solution becomes in equilibrium with that in the gas chamber,the TLGE is polarized with square wave or linear potential signal.Then the Faradaic charge (Q) consumed in depletion of the oxygen contained in pores of TLGE is measured.The main merits of this system are good linearity between the partial pressure of dissolved oxygen in test solution and Q,low zero-reading,negligible liquid-gas difference,con- venient calibration and very low temperature coefficient(ca.0.5%/℃).This technique can also be applied to the measurement of oxygen partial pressure in gas phases.

电催化CO_(2)还原的稳定性问题:评论性综述

电催化二氧化碳还原反应(CO_(2)RR)能够利用可再生电能将CO_(2)转化为高附加值化学品和燃料,是一项有望缓解当下环境挑战的技术方案.本文总结了CO_(2)RR稳足性下降的根本原因,并探讨了解决这一问题的有效策略以及最新的研究进展.首先,在外加电位的作用下,催化剂会发生结构转变,且碳沉积或气体杂质引起的催化剂中毒都会降低CO_(2)RR的稳定性.其次,气体扩散层(GDL)附近发生水淹和盐沉淀会阻碍反应物/生成物的传输,三相界面会受到破坏.在长时间服役时,液压和电流的作用会导致GDL开裂.在电解质方面,碱性电解质会与CO_(2)中和,形成碳酸盐沉淀;而酸性介质腐蚀催化剂,并伴随严重的析氢副反应.另外,电解质中的金属离子杂质的优先还原进一步加剧了稳定性的衰减.深入理解CO_(2)RR中各类失活现象对设计稳定、高效的CO_(2)电催化系统具有指导意义.针对CO_(2)RR稳定性研究目前所面临的困境,本文最后展望了该领域未来的研究方向.

A perspective on influences of cathode material degradation on oxygen transport resistance in low Pt PEMFC

A large-scale industrial application of proton exchange membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs)greatly depends on both substantial cost reduction and continuous durability enhancement.However,compared to effects of material degradation on apparent activity loss,little attention has been paid to influences on the phenomena of mass transport.In this review,influences of the degradation of key materials in membrane electrode assemblies(MEAs)on oxygen transport resistance in both cathode catalyst layers(CCLs)and gas diffusion layers(GDLs)are comprehensively explored,including carbon support,electrocatalyst,ionomer in CCLs as well as carbon material and hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)in GDLs.It is analyzed that carbon corrosion in CCLs will result in pore structure destruction and impact ionomer distribution,thus affecting both the bulk and local oxygen transport behavior.Considering the catalyst degradation,an eventual decrease in electrochemical active surface area(ECSA)definitely increases the local oxygen transport resistance since a decrease in active sites will lead to a longer oxygen transport path.It is also noted that problems concerning oxygen transport caused by the degradation of ionomer chemical structure in CCLs should not be ignored.Both cation contamination and chemical decomposition will change the structure of ionomer,thus worsening the local oxygen transport.Finally,it is found that the loss of carbon and PTFE in GDLs lead to a higher hydrophilicity,which is related to an occurrence of water flooding and increase in the oxygen transport resistance.

Numerical Investigation on the Effects of Design Parameters and Operating Conditions on the Electrochemical Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

Proton exchange membrane electrolysis cell(PEMEC)is one of the most promising methods to produce hydrogen at high purity and low power consumption.In this study,a three-dimensional non-isothermal model is used to simulate the cell performance of a typical PEMEC based on computational fluid dynamics(CFD)with the finite element method.Then,the model is used to investigate the distributions of current density,species concentration,and temperature at the membrane/catalyst(MEM/CL)interface.Also,the effects of operating conditions and design parameters on the polarization curve,specific electrical energy demand,and electrical cell efficiency are studied.The results show that the maximum distribution of current density,hydrogen concentration,oxygen concentration,and temperature occur beneath the core ribs and increase towards the channel outlet,while the maximum water concentration distribution happens under the channel and decreases towards the channel exit direction.The increase in gas diffusion layer(GDL)thickness reduces the uneven distribution of the contour at the MEM/CL interface.It is also found that increasing the operating temperature from 323 K to 363 K reduces the cell voltage and specific energy demand.The hydrogen ion diffusion degrades with increasing the cathode pressure,which increases the specific energy demand and reduces the electrical cell efficiency.Furthermore,increasing the thickness of the GDL and membrane rises the specific energy demand and lowers the electrical efficiency,but increasing GDL porosity reduces the specific electrical energy demand and improves the electrical cell efficiency;thus using a thin membrane and GDL is recommended.

Integration of multi-physics and machine learning-based surrogate modelling approaches for multi-objective optimization of deformed GDL of PEM fuel cells

The development of artificial intelligence(AI)greatly boosts scientific and engineering innovation.As one of the promising candidates for transiting the carbon intensive economy to zero emission future,proton exchange membrane(PEM)fuel cells has aroused extensive attentions.The gas diffusion layer(GDL)strongly affects the water and heat management during PEM fuel cells operation,therefore multi-variable optimization,including thickness,porosity,conductivity,channel/rib widths and compression ratio,is essential for the improved cell performance.However,traditional experiment-based optimization is time consuming and economically unaffordable.To break down the obstacles to rapidly optimize GDLs,physics-based simulation and machine-learning-based surrogate modelling are integrated to build a sophisticated M 5 model,in which multi-physics and multi-phase flow simulation,machine-learning-based surrogate modelling,multi-variable and multi-objects optimization are included.Two machine learning methodologies,namely response surface methodol-ogy(RSM)and artificial neural network(ANN)are compared.The M 5 model is proved to be effective and efficient for GDL optimization.After optimization,the current density and standard deviation of oxygen dis-tribution at 0.4 V are improved by 20.8%and 74.6%,respectively.Pareto front is obtained to trade off the cell performance and homogeneity of oxygen distribution,e.g.,20.5%higher current density is achieved when sacrificing the standard deviation of oxygen distribution by 26.0%.