SOFC Modeling Considering Electrochemical Reactions at the Active Three Phase Boundaries
Author
Summary, in English
Abstract in Undetermined
It is expected that fuel cells will play a significant role in a future sustainable energy system, due to their high energy efficiency and the possibility to use renewable fuels. A fully coupled CFD model (COMSOL Multiphysics) is developed to describe an intermediate temperature SOFC single cell, including governing equations for heat, mass, momentum and charge transport as well as kinetics considering the internal reforming and the electrochemical reactions. The influences of the ion and electron transport resistance within the electrodes, as well as the impact of the operating temperature and the cooling effect by the surplus of air flow, are investigated. As revealed for the standard case in this study, 90% of the electrochemical reactions occur within 2.4 mu m in the cathode and 6.2 mu m in the anode away from the electrode/electrolyte interface. In spite of the thin electrochemical active zone, the difference to earlier models with the reactions defined at the electrode-electrolyte interfaces is significant. It is also found that 60% of the polarizations occur in the anode, 10% in the electrolyte and 30% in the cathode. It is predicted that the cell current density increases if the ionic transfer tortuosity in the electrodes is decreased, the air flow rate is decreased or the cell operating temperature is increased.
It is expected that fuel cells will play a significant role in a future sustainable energy system, due to their high energy efficiency and the possibility to use renewable fuels. A fully coupled CFD model (COMSOL Multiphysics) is developed to describe an intermediate temperature SOFC single cell, including governing equations for heat, mass, momentum and charge transport as well as kinetics considering the internal reforming and the electrochemical reactions. The influences of the ion and electron transport resistance within the electrodes, as well as the impact of the operating temperature and the cooling effect by the surplus of air flow, are investigated. As revealed for the standard case in this study, 90% of the electrochemical reactions occur within 2.4 mu m in the cathode and 6.2 mu m in the anode away from the electrode/electrolyte interface. In spite of the thin electrochemical active zone, the difference to earlier models with the reactions defined at the electrode-electrolyte interfaces is significant. It is also found that 60% of the polarizations occur in the anode, 10% in the electrolyte and 30% in the cathode. It is predicted that the cell current density increases if the ionic transfer tortuosity in the electrodes is decreased, the air flow rate is decreased or the cell operating temperature is increased.
Department/s
Publishing year
2012
Language
English
Pages
773-788
Publication/Series
International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer
Volume
55
Issue
4-5
Full text
Links
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Pergamon Press Ltd.
Topic
- Energy Engineering
Keywords
- CFD modeling
- SOFC
- Charge transport
- Electrochemical reactions
- TPB
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0017-9310