@article{26517,
  keywords = {Model, Behavior, Resistance, Melting, Solidification, Fuel cell, Cold-start, Porous media, Crystallization, Differential scanning calorimetry, Gas-diffusion layer, Ice thermal-energy storage, Phase change, Simulations, Stefan},
  author = {Thomas J Dursch and Gregory J Trigub and J F Liu and Clayton J Radke and Adam Z Weber},
  title = {Non-isothermal melting of ice in the gas-diffusion layer of a proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell},
  abstract = {<p>Non-isothermal ice melting in the fibrous gas-diffusion layer (GDL) of a proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Non-isothermal ice-melting rates and ice-melting times are obtained from heat-flow measurements in water-saturated Toray GDLs at heating rates of 1, 2.5, 5, 10, and 25&nbsp;K/min. In all cases, ice-melting times decrease nonlinearly with increasing heating rate. Nevertheless, melting temperatures remain at 272.9&nbsp;±&nbsp;0.5 and 272.7&nbsp;±&nbsp;0.4&nbsp;K for bulk ice and ice within the GDL, respectively, reiterating that melting is thermodynamic-based at a rate limited by heat transfer. The slight GDL ice melting-point depression is consistent with the Gibbs–Thomson equation for equilibrium melting using an average pore diameter of 30&nbsp;μm. Ice-melting endotherms are predicted from overall DSC energy balances coupled with a moving-boundary Stefan problem, where an ice-melting front within a GDL propagates with volume-averaged properties through an effective medium. Agreement between DSC experiment and theory is excellent. The proposed model accurately predicts ice-melting endotherms for Toray GDLs with two ice saturations and for bulk ice. Further, a pseudo-steady-state analysis obtains an analytical expression for ice-melting time, which is controlled by the time for heat addition to the propagating solid/liquid interface. Significantly, the new expression elucidates parameters controlling ice melting and allows for better design of both GDL materials and heating strategies to enhance the success of PEMFC cold-start.</p>},
  year = {2013},
  journal = {International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer},
  volume = {67},
  pages = {896-901},
  month = {12/2013},
  publisher = {Elsevier Ltd.},
  issn = {00179310},
  doi = {10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2013.08.067},
}