Reference number : GC-2017-Q3-00592, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Bazylak, Aimy (University of Toronto), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Ontario, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : The polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzer functions by converting electricity and water into_x000D_
hydrogen and oxygen, whereas the PEM fuel cell (PEMFC) performs the opposite task. Through these two_x000D_
technologies, hydrogen offers unparalleled advantages over other fuels, because carbon dioxide and other_x000D_
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not produced during their operation. However, for these technologies to_x000D_
operate as efficiently as possible, the by-products must be quickly removed to prevent any hindrance to the_x000D_
flow of reactants to the reaction sites._x000D_
Recently Loop Energy has developed and patented a state-of-the-art PEMFC design, named the eFlow, which_x000D_
has reduced the cost of the PEMFC by 30% in comparison to traditional fuel cell products. However, Loop_x000D_
Energy would like to know which aspects of their eFlow design could be translated to a PEM electrolyzer, and_x000D_
which will need to be specifically tailored to the new application. Dr. Bazylak's group at the University of_x000D_
Toronto will examine this question by producing statistically equivalent porous lab-on-chips, which reproduce_x000D_
the PEM electrolyzer's environment. Through use of fluorescence microscopy-based imaging, Dr. Bazylak's_x000D_
group will be able to visualize the interactions of the liquid water/gaseous air interface with the solid particles,_x000D_
and the pore-to-pore interactions associated with non-wetting gaseous air invasion as the inlet water flow rate_x000D_
and the channel designs are varied. These fundamental studies will be used to provide direct insight into the_x000D_
applicability of channel flow design for oxygen bubble removal for driving PEM electrolyzer costs down to_x000D_
competitive levels., program purpose french : The polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzer functions by converting electricity and water into_x000D_
hydrogen and oxygen, whereas the PEM fuel cell (PEMFC) performs the opposite task. Through these two_x000D_
technologies, hydrogen offers unparalleled advantages over other fuels, because carbon dioxide and other_x000D_
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not produced during their operation. However, for these technologies to_x000D_
operate as efficiently as possible, the by-products must be quickly removed to prevent any hindrance to the_x000D_
flow of reactants to the reaction sites._x000D_
Recently Loop Energy has developed and patented a state-of-the-art PEMFC design, named the eFlow, which_x000D_
has reduced the cost of the PEMFC by 30% in comparison to traditional fuel cell products. However, Loop_x000D_
Energy would like to know which aspects of their eFlow design could be translated to a PEM electrolyzer, and_x000D_
which will need to be specifically tailored to the new application. Dr. Bazylak's group at the University of_x000D_
Toronto will examine this question by producing statistically equivalent porous lab-on-chips, which reproduce_x000D_
the PEM electrolyzer's environment. Through use of fluorescence microscopy-based imaging, Dr. Bazylak's_x000D_
group will be able to visualize the interactions of the liquid water/gaseous air interface with the solid particles,_x000D_
and the pore-to-pore interactions associated with non-wetting gaseous air invasion as the inlet water flow rate_x000D_
and the channel designs are varied. These fundamental studies will be used to provide direct insight into the_x000D_
applicability of channel flow design for oxygen bubble removal for driving PEM electrolyzer costs down to_x000D_
competitive levels., agreement title english : Microfluidic chips for investigating multiphase transport in porous media, agreement title french : Microfluidic chips for investigating multiphase transport in porous media, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2017-11-08, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada