ENHANCEMENT OF OXYGEN DIFFUSION IN A GAS DIFFUSION LAYER OF A FUEL CELL ELECTRODE BY MAGNETIZING FORCE

Possibility of enhancement of oxygen diffusion in a gas diffusion layer of a fuel cell electrode is numerically investigated. Since oxygen is paramagnetic gas, it is attracted to a field of high magnetic flux density by the magnetizing force. If there exists gradient of the oxygen concentration and the gradient of magnetic flux density in the gas diffusion layer, air flow occurs in the layer. Numerical computations were conducted for air flow in the gas diffusion layer of the electrode under the magnetic field which is generated by parallel electric currents. Darcy model is used to represent the air flow in the layer and the oxygen concentration was solved. The effects of the permiability of the electrode, intensity of the electric current, the location of the electric wire and the thickness of the electrode on the enhancement of oxygen transfer were investigated. As a result, 5 to 20% of enhancement of oxygen transfer by using magnetizing force was observed.