A mathematical model of a tubular solid oxide fuel cell is presented. The complete electrochemical and thermal factors are accounted for in a rigorous manner. All required parameters are determined from independent sources; none are fit from performance data. To verify the accuracy of the model predictions, comparison is made with single cell test data from Westinghouse. Agreement with electrochemical and thermal results are within 5%, and for most points, much better. Predictions are shown for power-voltage, irreversibilities, and temperature and current distributions under various conditions.
This paper presents an integrated multi-level model of a solid oxide fuel cell system, which accounts for the effects of concentration, activation, and ohmic polarizations on single-cell performance, as well as the cell-to-cell interactions in a cell stack module. Furthermore, this model extends the work of Lu and Mahoney (1988) and Harvey and Richter (1994) by including the performance of a cell stack operating with a fuel reformer, heat exchangers, and a steam generator over a range of design parameters. This paper also demonstrates the procedure by which a single-cell model is scaled to a system model.
The solid oxide fuel cell shows great potential as an efficient energy conversion system for use in central power stations. These cells can reform most hydrocarbon fuels with air to produce electricity and provide a heat source at 1000°C while maintaining an efficiency of 60–75 percent. This paper describes a steady-state model for the prediction of voltage, current, and power from a single-cell tube. The model is a distributed parameter electrical network that includes the effects of mass transfer resistance (concentration polarization), chemical kinetic resistance (activation polarization), as well as relevant electrical resistances (ohmic losses). A finite-difference heat transfer model is also incorporated to allow for radial and axial temperature variations. The model computes the fuel and oxidant stream compositions as functions of axial length from energy and mass balances performed on each cell slice. The model yields results that compare favorably with the published experimental data from Westinghouse.
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