Performance Analysis of a Tubular SOFC Using a Comprehensive Thermo-Electrochemical Model

This study presents a thermal and electrochemical model to evaluate the performance characteristics of a tubular solid oxide fuel cell. Butler-Volmer equation, Fick’s low and Ohm low are used to determine the polarization terms. All the variation of tubular SOFC’s operational condition such as operating pressure and temperature in electrochemical processes is taken into consideration. The effects of the cell geometry, material properties, temperature, pressure and current density on cell performance is analyzed by a parametric study. The provided model is simple and can be used in a system simulation tool designed to analysis of any combined energy conversion system included SOFC. The model predicts the effects of the input gas state variables pressure, temperature on the cell output voltage and performance. It is seen from model results that operating conditions are an important part of an optimal SOFC performance. Therefore, their change during operation, changes the performance considerably. In addition, concentration polarization is an important key associated with limiting current density.

کلیدواژه ها:

tubular SOFC ، thermo-electrochemical ، diffusion and activation losses