Structural Mechanics Analysis of Woven Web Reinforced Membranes in Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

authored by: Julian Kink, Martin Ise, Boris Bensmann, Philipp Junker, Richard Hanke-Rauschenbach
Abstract: Membranes are a key component of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) cells and are exposed to various stressors during operation, which can significantly reduce cell lifetime. PEMWE membranes incorporating woven web layers within the membrane structure for mechanical reinforcement are a promising, commonly used industrial strategy to mitigate the formation of membrane defects. Within this study the structural mechanics of a PEMWE cell is investigated, specifically the woven web reinforced membrane. Experimental tensile tests are conducted on the membrane to obtain stress-strain data. These measurements were utilized to parameterize a geometrically simplified model of the woven web reinforced membrane through a tensile test simulation. The validated model is applied in a 2D-cell simulation to identify resulting stresses and strains in the membrane during various electrolysis operation modes. The results herein allow the used PEMWE cell geometry to be systematically evaluated and optimized with respect to mechanical membrane stability. For the applied PEMWE cell setup, no failure is to expect during normal operation, including varied temperatures and differential pressure. Increasing the gap size at the edge of the electrochemically active cell area, however, leads to large deformations when the gap becomes larger than 0.2 mm.
Organisation(s): Institute of Electric Power Systems
Institute of Continuum Mechanics
Section Electrical Energy Storage Systems
External Organisation(s): Siemens AG
Type: Article
Journal: Journal of the Electrochemical Society
Volume: 170
ISSN: 0013-4651
Publication date: 2023
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Condensed Matter Physics, Surfaces, Coatings and Films, Electrochemistry, Materials Chemistry
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ad0663 (Access: Open)
: Details in the research portal "Research@Leibniz University"

BibTeX

@article{b315af4ad5d54b8998a72c6cca1c4bd3,
title = "Structural Mechanics Analysis of Woven Web Reinforced Membranes in Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis",
abstract = "Membranes are a key component of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) cells and are exposed to various stressors during operation, which can significantly reduce cell lifetime. PEMWE membranes incorporating woven web layers within the membrane structure for mechanical reinforcement are a promising, commonly used industrial strategy to mitigate the formation of membrane defects. Within this study the structural mechanics of a PEMWE cell is investigated, specifically the woven web reinforced membrane. Experimental tensile tests are conducted on the membrane to obtain stress-strain data. These measurements were utilized to parameterize a geometrically simplified model of the woven web reinforced membrane through a tensile test simulation. The validated model is applied in a 2D-cell simulation to identify resulting stresses and strains in the membrane during various electrolysis operation modes. The results herein allow the used PEMWE cell geometry to be systematically evaluated and optimized with respect to mechanical membrane stability. For the applied PEMWE cell setup, no failure is to expect during normal operation, including varied temperatures and differential pressure. Increasing the gap size at the edge of the electrochemically active cell area, however, leads to large deformations when the gap becomes larger than 0.2 mm.",
author = "Julian Kink and Martin Ise and Boris Bensmann and Philipp Junker and Richard Hanke-Rauschenbach",
note = "Funding Information: The publication of this article was funded by the Open Access Fund of Leibniz Universit{\"a}t Hannover. The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support of the German BMBF within the DERIEL project (grant numbers 03HY122A and 03HY122G).",
year = "2023",
doi = "10.1149/1945-7111/ad0663",
language = "English",
volume = "170",
journal = "Journal of the Electrochemical Society",
issn = "0013-4651",
publisher = "Electrochemical Society, Inc.",
number = "11",
}