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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Membrane And Performance Study In Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells And Hydrogen Bromine Redox Flow Batteries, Yujia Bai Dec 2013

Membrane And Performance Study In Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells And Hydrogen Bromine Redox Flow Batteries, Yujia Bai

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation represents the consideration of the problems of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and hydrogen-bromine redox flow batteries (RFB). Due to the importance of water management in PEMFCs, all the experiments were strictly controlled at different water hydration conditions. Water uptake and densities were measured for Nafion® and a series of 3M ionomer membranes. The thermodynamics of water and polymer was analyzed based on water uptake experiment and calorimetry. Furthermore, partial molar volumes (PMV) of water/membrane system was defined for the first time and used to analyze the interaction between water and polymers. Three states of water …


Coupling Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption With Membrane Bioreactor Treatment For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal: Breakthrough Behaviour Of Persistent And Hydrophilic Compounds, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem Oct 2013

Coupling Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption With Membrane Bioreactor Treatment For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal: Breakthrough Behaviour Of Persistent And Hydrophilic Compounds, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem

William E. Price

This study investigated the removal of trace organic contaminants by a combined membrane bioreactor - granular activated carbon (MBR-GAC) system over a period of 196 days. Of the 22 compounds investigated here, all six hydrophilic compounds with electron-withdrawing functional groups (i.e., metronidazole, carbamazepine, ketoprofen, naproxen, fenoprop and diclofenac) exhibited very low removal efficiency by MBR-only treatment. GAC post-treatment initially complemented MBR treatment very well; however, a compound-specific gradual deterioration of the removal of the above-mentioned problematic compounds was noted. While a 20% breakthrough of all four negatively charged compounds namely ketoprofen, naproxen, fenoprop and diclofenac occurred within 1000-3000 bed volumes …


Changes In Surface Properties And Separation Efficiency Of A Nanofiltration Membrane After Repeated Fouling And Chemical Cleaning Cycles, Alexander Simon, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Oct 2013

Changes In Surface Properties And Separation Efficiency Of A Nanofiltration Membrane After Repeated Fouling And Chemical Cleaning Cycles, Alexander Simon, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

William E. Price

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in membrane surface properties and solute separation by a nanofiltration membrane during repetitive membrane fouling and chemical cleaning. Secondary treated effluent and model fouling solutions containing humic acids, sodium alginate, or silica colloids were used to simulate membrane fouling. Chemical cleaning was carried out using a commercially available caustic cleaning formulation. Carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole were selected to examine the filtration behaviour of neutral and negatively charged organic compounds, respectively. Results show that the impact of membrane fouling on solute rejection is governed by pore blocking, modification of the membrane surface …


Comparison Between Sequential And Simultaneous Application Of Activated Carbon With Membrane Bioreactor For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Wenshan Guo, Huu H. Ngo, Kuo-Lun Tung Oct 2013

Comparison Between Sequential And Simultaneous Application Of Activated Carbon With Membrane Bioreactor For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Wenshan Guo, Huu H. Ngo, Kuo-Lun Tung

William E. Price

The removal efficiency of 22 selected trace organic contaminants by sequential application of granular activated carbon (GAC) and simultaneous application of powdered activated carbon (PAC) with membrane bioreactor (MBR) was compared in this study. Both sequential application of GAC following MBR treatment (MBR–GAC) and simultaneous application of PAC within MBR (PAC–MBR) achieved improved removal (over 95%) of seven hydrophilic and biologically persistent compounds, which were less efficiently removed by MBR-only treatment (negligible to 70%). However, gradual breakthrough of these compounds occurred over an extended operation period. Charged compounds, particularly, fenoprop and diclofenac, demonstrated the fastest breakthrough (complete and 50–70%, in …


Removal Of N-Nitrosamines By An Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor, Kaushalya C. Wijekoon, Takahiro Fujioka, James A. Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Oct 2013

Removal Of N-Nitrosamines By An Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor, Kaushalya C. Wijekoon, Takahiro Fujioka, James A. Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

William E. Price

This study investigated the fate of eight N-nitrosamines during membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment. The results suggest that biodegradation is mainly responsible for the removal of N-nitrosamines during MBR treatment. Other removal mechanisms were insignificant (e.g. adsorption to sludge) or not expected (e.g. photolysis and volatilization) given the experimental conditions and physicochemical properties of the N-nitrosamines studied here. N-nitrosamine removal efficiencies were from 24% to 94%, depending on their molecular properties. High removal of N-nitrosamines such as N-nitrosodimethylamine and N-nitrosodiethylamine could be explained by the presence of strong electron donating functional groups (EDG) in their structure. In contrast, N-nitrosomorpholine possessing the …


Life Support: Long Term Storage Of Solid Waste In An Enclosed Membrane System, Emmy O. Trieu, Michael Flynn, Rocco Mancinelli Aug 2013

Life Support: Long Term Storage Of Solid Waste In An Enclosed Membrane System, Emmy O. Trieu, Michael Flynn, Rocco Mancinelli

STAR Program Research Presentations

In deep space missions, maintaining life support is of the utmost priority. In such a closed system, human waste must be stored and treated. Simulated feces (ersatz) will be inoculated with microbes representing normal fecal flora, mixed with urine brine and shredded refuse of products typically used in space missions. Composting methods often use alternating layers of waste with scraps of carboniferous materials (finely shredded refuse). By preparing membrane bags with a homogenized ersatz and carboniferous refuse mixture and membrane bags with alternating layers of ersatz and carboniferous refuse, it may be possible to monitor anaerobic thermophillic digestion of the …


Removal Of Trace Organic Contaminants By A Membrane Bioreactor-Granular Activated Carbon (Mbr -Gac) System, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Long Nghiem Jul 2013

Removal Of Trace Organic Contaminants By A Membrane Bioreactor-Granular Activated Carbon (Mbr -Gac) System, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, William E. Price, Long Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

The removal of trace organics by a membrane bioreactor–granular activated carbon (MBR–GAC) integrated system were investigated. The results confirmed that MBR treatment can be effective for the removal of hydrophobic (logD > 3.2) and readily biodegradable trace organics. The data also highlighted the limitation of MBR in removing hydrophilic and persistent compounds (e.g. carbamazepine, diclofenac, and fenoprop) and that GAC could complement MBR very well as a post-treatment process. The MBR– GAC system showed high removal of all selected trace organics including those that are hydrophilic and persistent to biological degradation at up to 406 bed volumes (BV). However, over an …


Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal And Its Modeling For The Activated Sludge And Membrane Bioreactor Processes, M F. R Zuthi, W S. Guo, H H. Ngo, L D. Nghiem, F I. Hai Jul 2013

Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal And Its Modeling For The Activated Sludge And Membrane Bioreactor Processes, M F. R Zuthi, W S. Guo, H H. Ngo, L D. Nghiem, F I. Hai

Faisal I Hai

A modified activated sludge process (ASP) for enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) needs to sustain stable performance for wastewater treatment to avoid eutrophication in the aquatic environment. Unfortunately, the overall efficiency of the EBPR in ASPs and membrane bioreactors (MBRs) is frequently hindered by different operational/system constraints. Moreover, although phosphorus removal data from several wastewater treatment systems are available, a comprehensive mathematical model of the process is still lacking. This paper presents a critical review that highlights the core issues of the biological phosphorus removal in ASPs and MBRs while discussing the inhibitory process requirements for other nutrients' removal. This …


Performance Of A Novel Osmotic Membrane Bioreactor (Ombr) System: Flux Stability And Removal Of Trace Organics, Abdulhakeem Alturki, James Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long Nghiem Jul 2013

Performance Of A Novel Osmotic Membrane Bioreactor (Ombr) System: Flux Stability And Removal Of Trace Organics, Abdulhakeem Alturki, James Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

Results reported here highlight the potential and several challenges in the development of a novel osmotic membrane bioreactor (OMBR) process for the treatment of municipal wastewater. Following the initial gradual decline, a stable permeate flux value was obtained after approximately four days of continuous operation. There was evidence of continuous deterioration of biological activity of the OMBR system, possibly due to the build-up of salinity in the reactor. The removal of 25 out of 27 trace organic compounds with molecular weight higher than 266 g/mol was above 80% and was possibly governed by the interplay between physical separation of the …


Removal Of N-Nitrosamines By An Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor, Kaushalya C. Wijekoon, Takahiro Fujioka, James A. Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Jul 2013

Removal Of N-Nitrosamines By An Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor, Kaushalya C. Wijekoon, Takahiro Fujioka, James A. Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

This study investigated the fate of eight N-nitrosamines during membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment. The results suggest that biodegradation is mainly responsible for the removal of N-nitrosamines during MBR treatment. Other removal mechanisms were insignificant (e.g. adsorption to sludge) or not expected (e.g. photolysis and volatilization) given the experimental conditions and physicochemical properties of the N-nitrosamines studied here. N-nitrosamine removal efficiencies were from 24% to 94%, depending on their molecular properties. High removal of N-nitrosamines such as N-nitrosodimethylamine and N-nitrosodiethylamine could be explained by the presence of strong electron donating functional groups (EDG) in their structure. In contrast, N-nitrosomorpholine possessing the …


Removal Of N-Nitrosamines By An Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor, Kaushalya C. Wijekoon, Takahiro Fujioka, James A. Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Jan 2013

Removal Of N-Nitrosamines By An Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor, Kaushalya C. Wijekoon, Takahiro Fujioka, James A. Mcdonald, Stuart J. Khan, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

This study investigated the fate of eight N-nitrosamines during membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment. The results suggest that biodegradation is mainly responsible for the removal of N-nitrosamines during MBR treatment. Other removal mechanisms were insignificant (e.g. adsorption to sludge) or not expected (e.g. photolysis and volatilization) given the experimental conditions and physicochemical properties of the N-nitrosamines studied here. N-nitrosamine removal efficiencies were from 24% to 94%, depending on their molecular properties. High removal of N-nitrosamines such as N-nitrosodimethylamine and N-nitrosodiethylamine could be explained by the presence of strong electron donating functional groups (EDG) in their structure. In contrast, N-nitrosomorpholine possessing the …


Comparison Between Sequential And Simultaneous Application Of Activated Carbon With Membrane Bioreactor For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Wenshan Guo, Huu H. Ngo, Kuo-Lun Tung Jan 2013

Comparison Between Sequential And Simultaneous Application Of Activated Carbon With Membrane Bioreactor For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Wenshan Guo, Huu H. Ngo, Kuo-Lun Tung

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The removal efficiency of 22 selected trace organic contaminants by sequential application of granular activated carbon (GAC) and simultaneous application of powdered activated carbon (PAC) with membrane bioreactor (MBR) was compared in this study. Both sequential application of GAC following MBR treatment (MBR–GAC) and simultaneous application of PAC within MBR (PAC–MBR) achieved improved removal (over 95%) of seven hydrophilic and biologically persistent compounds, which were less efficiently removed by MBR-only treatment (negligible to 70%). However, gradual breakthrough of these compounds occurred over an extended operation period. Charged compounds, particularly, fenoprop and diclofenac, demonstrated the fastest breakthrough (complete and 50–70%, in …


Impact Of Humic Acid Fouling On Membrane Performance And Transport Of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds In Forward Osmosis, Ming Xie, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Menachem Elimelech Jan 2013

Impact Of Humic Acid Fouling On Membrane Performance And Transport Of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds In Forward Osmosis, Ming Xie, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Menachem Elimelech

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The impact of humic acid fouling on the membrane transport of two pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) - namely carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole - in forward osmosis (FO) was investigated. Deposition of humic acid onto the membrane surface was promoted by the complexation with calcium ions in the feed solution and the increase in ionic strength at the membrane surface due to the reverse transport of NaCl draw solute. The increase in the humic acid deposition on the membrane surface led to a substantial decrease in the membrane salt (NaCl) permeability coefficient but did not result in a significant decrease in the …


Coupling Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption With Membrane Bioreactor Treatment For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal: Breakthrough Behaviour Of Persistent And Hydrophilic Compounds, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem Jan 2013

Coupling Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption With Membrane Bioreactor Treatment For Trace Organic Contaminant Removal: Breakthrough Behaviour Of Persistent And Hydrophilic Compounds, Luong N. Nguyen, Faisal I. Hai, William E. Price, Jinguo Kang, Long D. Nghiem

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

This study investigated the removal of trace organic contaminants by a combined membrane bioreactor - granular activated carbon (MBR-GAC) system over a period of 196 days. Of the 22 compounds investigated here, all six hydrophilic compounds with electron-withdrawing functional groups (i.e., metronidazole, carbamazepine, ketoprofen, naproxen, fenoprop and diclofenac) exhibited very low removal efficiency by MBR-only treatment. GAC post-treatment initially complemented MBR treatment very well; however, a compound-specific gradual deterioration of the removal of the above-mentioned problematic compounds was noted. While a 20% breakthrough of all four negatively charged compounds namely ketoprofen, naproxen, fenoprop and diclofenac occurred within 1000-3000 bed volumes …


Effects Of Membrane Fouling On N-Nitrosamine Rejection By Nanofiltration And Reverse Osmosis Membranes, Takahiro Fujioka, Stuart J. Khan, James A. Mcdonald, Rita K. Henderson, Yvan Poussade, Jorg E. Drewes, Long Nghiem Jan 2013

Effects Of Membrane Fouling On N-Nitrosamine Rejection By Nanofiltration And Reverse Osmosis Membranes, Takahiro Fujioka, Stuart J. Khan, James A. Mcdonald, Rita K. Henderson, Yvan Poussade, Jorg E. Drewes, Long Nghiem

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

The impact of fouling on N-nitrosamine rejection by nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes was investigated in this study. Membrane fouling was simulated using tertiary treated effluent and several model fouling solutions (that contained sodium alginate, bovine serum albumin, humic acid or colloidal silica) to elucidate the changes in rejection behaviour of N-nitrosamines. In general, the rejection of N-nitrosamines increased when the membranes were fouled by tertiary effluent. The rejection of small molecular weight N-nitrosamines was most affected by membrane fouling. In particular, the rejection of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) by the ESPA2 membrane increased from 34 to 73% after membrane …


Changes In Surface Properties And Separation Efficiency Of A Nanofiltration Membrane After Repeated Fouling And Chemical Cleaning Cycles, Alexander Simon, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem Jan 2013

Changes In Surface Properties And Separation Efficiency Of A Nanofiltration Membrane After Repeated Fouling And Chemical Cleaning Cycles, Alexander Simon, William E. Price, Long D. Nghiem

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in membrane surface properties and solute separation by a nanofiltration membrane during repetitive membrane fouling and chemical cleaning. Secondary treated effluent and model fouling solutions containing humic acids, sodium alginate, or silica colloids were used to simulate membrane fouling. Chemical cleaning was carried out using a commercially available caustic cleaning formulation. Carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole were selected to examine the filtration behaviour of neutral and negatively charged organic compounds, respectively. Results show that the impact of membrane fouling on solute rejection is governed by pore blocking, modification of the membrane surface …


Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal And Its Modeling For The Activated Sludge And Membrane Bioreactor Processes, M F. R Zuthi, W S. Guo, H H. Ngo, L D. Nghiem, F I. Hai Jan 2013

Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal And Its Modeling For The Activated Sludge And Membrane Bioreactor Processes, M F. R Zuthi, W S. Guo, H H. Ngo, L D. Nghiem, F I. Hai

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

A modified activated sludge process (ASP) for enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) needs to sustain stable performance for wastewater treatment to avoid eutrophication in the aquatic environment. Unfortunately, the overall efficiency of the EBPR in ASPs and membrane bioreactors (MBRs) is frequently hindered by different operational/system constraints. Moreover, although phosphorus removal data from several wastewater treatment systems are available, a comprehensive mathematical model of the process is still lacking. This paper presents a critical review that highlights the core issues of the biological phosphorus removal in ASPs and MBRs while discussing the inhibitory process requirements for other nutrients' removal. This …


Degradation Of Azo Dye Acid Orange 7 In A Membrane Bioreactor By Pellets And Attached Growth Of Coriolus Versicolour, Faisal I. Hai, Kazuo Yamamoto, Fumiyuki Nakajima, Kensuke Fukushi, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Bo Jin Jan 2013

Degradation Of Azo Dye Acid Orange 7 In A Membrane Bioreactor By Pellets And Attached Growth Of Coriolus Versicolour, Faisal I. Hai, Kazuo Yamamoto, Fumiyuki Nakajima, Kensuke Fukushi, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Bo Jin

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The aim of this study was to systematically compare the degradation of azo dye acid orange 7 by spongy pellets and attached biofilm of Coriolus versicolour (NBRC 9791) in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) under non-sterile conditions. Mild stirring (35 rpm) resulted in spherical (φ = 0.5 cm), spongy pellets and concomitantly triggered high enzymatic activity of the fungus, allowing for excellent decolouration (>99%) of a synthetic wastewater containing the dye. However, bacterial contamination eventually damaged the fungus pellets, leading to decreased decolouration efficiency. Promotion of attached growth on a plastic support along with formation of spherical spongy pellets allowed …


Removal Of Bisphenol A And Diclofenac By A Novel Fungal Membrane Bioreactor Operated Under Non-Sterile Conditions, Shufan Yang, Faisal I. Hai, Long D. Nghiem, Luong N. Nguyen, Felicity Roddick, William E. Price Jan 2013

Removal Of Bisphenol A And Diclofenac By A Novel Fungal Membrane Bioreactor Operated Under Non-Sterile Conditions, Shufan Yang, Faisal I. Hai, Long D. Nghiem, Luong N. Nguyen, Felicity Roddick, William E. Price

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Previous studies have confirmed significant removal of various trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) by white-rot fungal cultures under sterile batch test conditions. However, little is known about TrOC removal in continuous flow fungal reactors in a non-sterile environment. This study reports the removal of two TrOCs, namely, bisphenol A and diclofenac, by a fungal membrane bioreactor (MBR).


A Forward Osmosis-Membrane Distillation Hybrid Process For Direct Sewer Mining: System Performance And Limitations, Ming Xie, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Menachem Elimelech Jan 2013

A Forward Osmosis-Membrane Distillation Hybrid Process For Direct Sewer Mining: System Performance And Limitations, Ming Xie, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price, Menachem Elimelech

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

This study demonstrates the robustness and treatment capacity of a forward osmosis (FO)-membrane distillation (MD) hybrid system for small-scale decentralized sewer mining. A stable water flux was realized using a laboratory-scale FO-MD hybrid system operating continuously with raw sewage as the feed at water recovery up to 80%. The hybrid system also showed an excellent capacity for the removal of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs), with removal rates ranging from 91 to 98%. The results suggest that TrOC transport through the FO membrane is governed by "solute-membrane" interaction, whereas that through the MD membrane is strongly correlated to TrOC volatility. Concentrations …


Modification Of A Polyamide Reverse Osmosis Membrane By Heat Treatment For Enhanced Fouling Resistance, Takahiro Fujioka, Long D. Nghiem Jan 2013

Modification Of A Polyamide Reverse Osmosis Membrane By Heat Treatment For Enhanced Fouling Resistance, Takahiro Fujioka, Long D. Nghiem

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The use of heat treatment to improve solute rejection and fouling resistance of a polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membrane was investigated in this study. Heat treatment was carried out by immersing the membrane samples in Milli-Q water at 70 degrees celcius for a specific duration. Heat treatment reduced the pure water permeability from 4.1 to 2.8 L/m2 bar but improved conductivity rejection from 95.5 to 97.0 percent. As a result, a correlation was observed between changes in the two parameters. Marginal changes in the membrane surface characteristics were observed as a result of heat treatment. Heat treatment significantly improved the …


Mine Water Treatment Using A Vacuum Membrane Distillation System, Muttucumaru Sivakumar, M Ramezanianpour, G O Halloran Jan 2013

Mine Water Treatment Using A Vacuum Membrane Distillation System, Muttucumaru Sivakumar, M Ramezanianpour, G O Halloran

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Water scarcity and strict environmental regulations has seen the rapid development of membrane technologies in water and wastewater treatment. Effluent discharge from a local coal mine containing 2332 mg/L of TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), 14.4 mg/L of Ca, 2.72 mg/L of Mg, 1.92 mg/L of Fe and 3.38 mg/L of Al is treated by a vacuum membrane distillation system. This technology aims to remove particles and dissolved impurities by evaporation and condensation technique that mimics what occurs in nature within a water cycle. It employs a hollow-fiber membrane that enables to remove 99.9% of TDS from mine water. This paper …


The Effect Of Bi-Polar Plate And Membrane Materials On Water Transport In Pemfcs, Visarn Lilavivat Jan 2013

The Effect Of Bi-Polar Plate And Membrane Materials On Water Transport In Pemfcs, Visarn Lilavivat

Theses and Dissertations

An analysis of liquid water transport and removal in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) as affected by different membranes and the geometry and surface roughness of bipolar plates on is presented. Four topics are considered. First, the channel dimension and shape of various flow fields have been shown to affect the cell performance and the uniformity in the distributions of current. Typical variations in the channel width, height, and undercut that may occur with manufactured metal plates are studied. These sample-to-sample variations and distributions are studied and compared with laboratory-scale graphite plates. The goal of the work is to …